Over My Dead Body
by GoodnightSleepTight
Summary: -SasuNaru-Ghost Fic- Naruto died, but Kyuubi managed to keep their essences in between life and death. But afterlife is no easier. Sasuke came back home, but his past is not letting go. Can soul once lost still be saved? And what will be the price? [Complete, Friendship/Romance/Angst]
1. My Last Breath

**A/N five years later (edited): **I've decided to finish this story in the end and it will be complete in the nearest future, I'm about halfway through the conclusion today [15.05]. There are a few things you might want to know before you start reading this story:

1. I've fixed the **language** in the prologue, but the following few chapters have a lot of **English mistakes**. From 17th chapter onwards, I had an American **beta-reader **(thanks, JadeOokami). I hope the early linguistic clumsiness won't blow your enjoyment of the story, but I'd rather make sure nobody is suddenly disappointed ;)

2. There are **controversial themes** appearing throughout the story, some of them quite dark. There are #no# explicit descriptions of violence or gore, but they are present.

3. Though this is a SasuNaru fanfiction,** side-pairings** **happen and can include either of them as well**. I won't tell you which because they tie to the plot and I want to avoid spoilers. But I feel this is an important warning as some people might look for a clear one-pair romance. This fic isn't it.

4. Speaking of **spoilers**, if you despise those things, just skip over other **Author Notes**. You can go back to reading them from chapter 47 forward as now I give no hints about anything anymore. In the past I used to talk a little too much in those ;) I will cleanse A/Ns of spoilers when I'm finished with writing the missing chapters, I might forget to update this note but if the status says 'complete' this point is most likely void now.

5. This fic is **OLD**! It followed **canon** to some point 5 years ago. It's not AU, but I'm pretty sure it has little to do with how the things are in the manga right now. Not that I have any idea how they are. Just saying, cause the fic might've popped up due to an update aaand I wouldn't want to mislead anyone.

6. The story changed a lot from what it was originally intended as. The actual **genre** is closer to: **Friendship/Romance/Angst. **

7. Which means that while yes, **romance** is present it's not the pivot point of every scene or action. I remember that I tried to make the **relationship believable** and I couldn't imagine it happening just like that, **poof! Love. No.**

8. This story is **rated M** for a reason! And the reason is not only lemons, but also pt. 2. It used to be rated T and there are still warnings left in the A/Ns and even mid-chapter for people who were reading it from the start and didn't want to see adult content. **Those warnings will be removed** when I finish the story and go around cleaning the notes of spoilers. Which is soon. Also, no warnings in the new chapters. This A/N is one huge warning, I don't think anyone needs more of this gibberish later on.

So, I think I can say: you have been warned.

_And now, onwards to the past, ladies and gentlemen!_

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-:-

**DISCLAIMER: **Don't own it. Quite obvious, eh?

Chapter's name comes from song of **Evanescence.**

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**OVER MY DEAD BODY**

**-Chapter One-**

_-My Last Breath-_

**Naruto'****s POV**

Was that how Gaara felt back then? Being ripped apart, torn to pieces yet kept conscious with a chance to pass out just beyond his reach...

Because that's how I feel. It's not only my body that's being torn apart, but the very essence of my being aches, screams in excruciating torture. My soul begs for mercy.

I force myself to open my eyes again and I'm aware that I have little time left. I need to say goodbye to the world I lived in, bid my life farewell. It kinda sucked, sure, but I still loved it. I can't hold back tears sneaking out of my eyes. I want to be tough, but I can't anymore.

That beloved world of mine that I hate so.

Friends, enemies, pain and hate that never left me, always lurking around in the corners, in the eyes of passers-by. At least, at this moment, nobody hates me anymore.

They don't care. Ironically, I remember my childish wish that the people all just stopped to care, that they left me alone if they couldn't learn to like me. And now, it seemed to have come true.

Yes, I am dying.

When I look around me slowly, I'm not screaming anymore. My throat is sore and dry, I've lost the feeling of passing time. I don't have the power to make a tiniest of noises.

Everything is blurry, I see no light, no promise of Paradise. No skeleton in black robe looking down at me with calming smile twisting the exposed teeth bones. Nobody awaiting by the door of light to set me free, to let me go. And as much as I wish to stay... even more so I cry for it to be over. I look around once again, in hopes to see a hand reaching for me, a sign of the blessed end.

Yet the torment continues.

I don't need to see the faces of figures surrounding me, I know them all too well. Hovering above me, binding me to the thing I could only call a 'sacrifice altar'. Preparing me for what they wanted to do.

But I had always lived in two worlds. I look inside myself and I can hear Kyuubi growling. He shares my pain. The difference is that after this is over, I'll just die. Go to heaven, paradise or just cease to exist. He is not that lucky though. He knows what he's in for, he knows the torture does not end today for him. I can feel his hopelessness. His anger, his rage. But not fear. Never fear.

I am the only one scared in here.

I've never died before.

One more thing we have in common: I have no hope either. I know that we're past the point when stopping or trying to reverse the ritual could help us. Kyuubi told me. He was never the one to cheer me up, really, but at least he was always honest. I valued it.

Then I feel my mind getting hazy, like I no longer can think... Thoughts are escaping my grasp, images of Sakura, Kakashi-sensei, Sai, Baa-chan, Iruka... everyone close to me... I try to grab them, hold them tight to me and keep them before the eyes of my imagination to the very end. If they're gone, all I'll have will be my pain.

But no matter how hard I try, how hard I will them to stay, they're fading.

I need something to hold on to... I need...

I look at one of the silhouettes above me and I recognize him. I focus my eyes on him, it's blurry but this time I'm grateful for the weakening vision.

I see Sasuke there, not Itachi. And through my tears I can even see him smile at me.

I wish I could see real bastard one last time before I'm gone.

But no one asked me for my death wish. It's okay though, I'm used to the unfairness. After all, I've been Kyuubi's vessel all my life.

For that I lived in hell. For that I'm dying in hell.

-:-

„Kit, wake up" I hear a voice. It is familiar, but I can't quite place it... Though... I recall only one person calling me that... Kyuubi. Yes, it has to be him.

„Kyuubi?" I ask, opening my eyes.

„Get up, fast. I can't hold you here for long."

And that moment I realize all my pain is gone. I stand to my feet, I find myself before Kyuubi's cage, deep within me.

„Break the seal, Kit" he says. All I've been taught suddenly comes to me forbidding doing just what he asks me for.

„Why?" I hear myself asking. „It's too late. Even for you."

„Do it" he growls, I see his snout wincing in pain. "Just… do."

I can feel time slipping through my fingers, I'm being pulled off from this silent, painless asylum he managed to create into the world of hurt again.

What can a dying one loose? Why wouldn't I do this one last favor for the one, who, contrary to all I've ever said, even to what I believed, was my one and only faithful companion since the first day I remember to the very last. At least one of us would be granted their last wish, their last whiff of freedom.

I come to the seal and with one swift movement I break it.

And then I finally see my awaited light.

-:-

The feeling running through my body is different. It isn't the pain anymore, nor is it pleasure. I feel all my body go rigid, I hear voices around myself, but I'm not able to divide or recognize the words spoken.

Something is happening. Something Akatsuki did not foresee.

'Kyu?' I ask in my mind, sounding desperate even to myself. 'What's going on?'

**I'm merging what's left of us. Hold on, Kit, life's not over yet. Theoretically.**

I feel at peace hearing the reply. I am not alone. And Kyuubi is doing something. He is taking care of us. I do not need any logical thought. The slightest bit of hope was all I need to to focus on and hold on to my slipping life with all my strength.

And then comes the harsh tug, I feel myself being pulled up, leaving my body lying below me. I rotate in the air, I feel as if I had the body and yet I was just an air at the same moment. Indescribable.

I look at myself. Or rather what's left of me, down there. The shell.

'Kyuubi?'

**Your body is dead. So is mine.**

'You had no body' I say, amazed that in this state I'm still able to think about such details, honestly.

**I had more or less material essence. ****And now it is gone.**

'What have you done?' I ask, I think I should be trembling and suddenly I feel shivers running down my… spine? Yes, I have a spine, why didn't I realize it earlier?

**You may ****think of it as a chakra created containers for our consciousness. You control it, you shape it. But it's too ethereal for any human to see.**

'You… you mean… like… a ghost?!'

I swear I heard him chuckle. **If you say so.**

'Oh Kami…'

-:-

**A/N: **So, that's it. Also, I'm no review whore _[5yl: lies, I was... or at least I turned into one :P]_, but each and every review matters to me, because they tell me what I'm doing wrong or right, or just make me smile. Many lazy asses around come and fav the story without leaving a single word. C'mon, I don't believe it's too difficult to give even a little emote if you liked the chapter? It really makes authors want to carry on and deliver quicker and that's in reader's area of interest, isn't it? ;)


	2. Between Here and There

**A/N: **Removed them spoilers.

* * *

**OVER MY DEAD BODY**

**-Chapter Two-**

_- Between Here and T__here -_

**Naruto's POV**

Standing over my dead body felt so out of place. Kyuubi told that I can shape my „ghostly" form in anything I like, but the only one I'll ever feel comfortable in and maintain it naturally and effortless will be the one I used to live in – the form of my former flesh body. He said I'm mentally bound to the feel and sight of it and there's no way around that fact. Not that I mind, but I think he was quite disappointed, even in the afterlife of sorts he still was bound to me and still condemned to the human body form.

I had had the hard life, but even then I had never envied the demon I'd hosted. At least I could feel like myself and I could control my life in the way any other living being could. Nature was the one fair to me. To him she was no longer.

Around me Akatsuki were talking but I couldn't hear their words clear at first, my senses worked differently, but instinctively I began to learn to use them correctly. Control of the ethereal form came first along with the eyesight, hearing followed soon after. But I couldn't smell anything. I remember musty smell of the underground hideout we were in, but now there was nothing.

I did my best to focus on hat were they saying and I heard them still pondering about what went wrong with the ritual. They had Kyuubi, or whatever was left of him anyway, where they wanted to, but it was more than obvious we screwed their detailed plans more than a little.

Well, Kyuubi did anyway. Yay for him.

I saw then the only woman present with odd, blue hair coming near the table I laid on... or my body did, whatever. She looked like she was checking my vitals then she shook her head to the rest of the gathered.

„He sure is dead" she said. „There's nothing else take from the body."

A few heads nodded. Then the door opened and in came Itachi's partner. I felt a shiver running down my spine at the very sight of him and painful memories of his sword draining me after we fought.

Or at least after I tried to fight them.

I haven't realized he ever left. Look on his face was serious when he spoke. „Someone's nearing the hideout."

The man standing now farthest away looked at him, narrowing his weird, somehow layered, eyes. „You sure they know where they're going?"

„I do. There's nothing else there they'd need."

„Sound or Konoha?" came another question followed by a shrug coming from Kisame.

Sound? I know that they must've been expecting Konoha shinobis coming my way for the rescue, but why Sound? And where were we anyway? I just thought that, truth to be told, I had no idea. I've been dragged here half conscious, the last thing on my mind back then was to look at the road or surrounding_s_.

Some ninja I was. But I guess it didn't matter in the end, ne? So no harm done this time.

„Fine. We're off then. Deidara, you dispose of anything left here after we're in safe enough distance."

„Sure thing, un! I'll bang this place to nothingness!"

They started to depart but I didn't feel like moving away. I stared at myself.

'Kyuubi?'

**What is it, Kit?**

I frowned a little. Did he have to be suddenly nice right now? Like anything wasn't weird enough as it was already!

'Will I be influenced by anything happening in that normal world?' sure the "normal world" didn't sound too good, but I've yet had to come with some appropriate terminology.

After I'll get over the real shock which was sure to come once we're done with the current mess, that is.

**No. We can as well stay and watch the show here. Stop staring at this shell you left, it's useless for you now.**

"That's no shell!" I yelled instead of thinking. It didn't matter anymore anyway. "That's my own and only body!"

**So I said. The shell that's completely useless. Even if you found a way to attach yourself to it once again, which you won't, it wouldn't function. Brain is damaged, not to mention other vital organs which were probably kind of blown up by the power that surged through them all.**

I opened my mouth to say something but closed them moment later. What could I possibly say? Kyuubi was right, I knew it but… it was like leaving my body meant final goodbye to everything I knew and giving up on hope that it was all just a nightmare of sorts.

Hope dies last they say.

Seems like now it was her time at last.

-:-

**No POV**

"I can't smell any tracks anymore" stated Pakkun stopping in his tracks and looking over his shoulder to the rest of small team they assembled to immediately follow after they learnt about Naruto's capture.

Kakashi nodded. He expected this sooner or later. "They're not stupid. They must've known I'll be in the rescue team along with you."

"Even if" said Sai "they really must think high about us after all if they ran to hiding on the Sound territory to make our work even harder."

"They don't risk much, Sai. Orochimaru would rather finish his job with Konoha than waste his forced to fight all the Akatsuki gathered in one place."

"One could think you don't let enemies on your ground..."

"They're harmless for him now" said Kakashi. "Sakura is right. He would just loose by going for war all of the sudden now. And we have to move way more carefully now" he scowled looking forward. He was trying to do his best to hide his worry from the rest of the team, but it was really hard. At first they had no idea where to go, Akatsuki had true advantage, and seeing how they were slowed by moving in the enemy territory he had a bad feeling about how much time they had left.

Sakura was on the brink of panicking, so was Hinata, but they were tough, he saw it, they were dead focused on the task at hand and managed somehow to pull their worries away enough to continue without hands shaking.

"Let's move forward. Hinata, we count on you from now on."

"Hai! Byakuugan!"

They started running again till Hinata stopped and pointed to their left. "There's some kind of complex there, few miles ahead." she said. "I can't see through the walls, it's guarded with chakra wire."

"That has to be it. Move!" Ordered Kakashi.

That didn't need to be said.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

When they all left the building I began to wander around the chamber. I was thinking one thing – who was heading this way? I felt cold, but wasn't sure was it some kind physical or rather mental cold. I began to pray. If they found the complex now, if they came inside they might never get away. Deidara was going to blow up the whole thing, and I didn't care about my body, but tried desperately to find the way to contact anyone coming this way to keep out.

I walked, or rather floated to the door and then up the staircase. I felt no wind when I neared the exit, I stood there looking around for any signs of either Deidara getting ready or the ones coming this way. I saw no one.

Then suddenly I felt a sharp tug somewhere in my insides. And another, this one painful. Shiver ran down my spine and I felt like I was freezing. How can a chakra freeze? There was no wind, but I felt icy breezes encircling me.

'Kyuubi? What's going on?'

**Well… I kind of anticipated this coming…**

"What coming?! Kyuubi!" I yelled at him, feeling another tug and shiver.

**I'm afraid you cannot just stay between two world by sheer power of will…**

"What? You said I can, the chakra and everything, you said it! Why didn't you tell me that there may occur some other problems?!"

I felt myself panicking. It was different dying being numbed by tremendous pain, making me somehow wish I'd finally pass away so it was all over. The thoughts in that hazed state of mind weren't reaching deep enough to provoke the kind of feeling I had right then… However weird it may sound, the moment I heard about leaving even this substitute of existence, I realized that I still cared about staying. I was grateful for the weird chance Kyuubi's holding me to this world gave.

I loved it, no matter how harsh the life was on me, I loved it all.

And I was going to loose it, totally. And this time fully conscious and for sure.

**Let me finish, Kit. **Kyuubi spoke again, **I wasn't sure if it will end this way, I thought that our mended essences may be strong enough to keep us steady here. Seems like they didn't after all.**

'So we're gonna… really die now, eh?' I asked trying to sound somehow nonchalant, for the sake of... seeming less caring. Pointless, seeing that Kyuubi knew me well than I did myself and he surely felt every little feeling of mine. But he seemed composed! Why it was always me who lost his temper and just so happen to DIE because of it in the end?

**We will,**came his voice, still calm. Had he something else planned? I felt a hope raising from the dead. Damn, if only I was just as hard to kill as she was I would live happily ever after.** If you won't bind us to something, or rather someone living in the world you wish to stay in.** There it came! Some other crazy plan of the mad fox. My logic would never follow his, well, truth to be told I had a few years back compared to the aged demon, but still it was annoying.

But what he said this time sounded ridiculous, even for him. 'Bind to someone living?' I asked dumbly, 'What the hell? You can't bind yourself to someone like that!'

**Don't follow earthly ways of thinking anymore, Kit. And you'd better find someone soon. And someone you have bond****s with already, the life-before kind of bonds.**

Yeah, Kyuubi have to had a terminology problems as well. That was new to him as well, I wonder if he felt excited even if only a little about finally experiencing something so new and unexplored even for his kind.

'Why?' I asked.

**Otherwise**** they'll just fade and we'll be done for. So you'd better head to Konoha instead of standing here now, Kit, because we don't have much time.**

'Even if I find somebody… I don't know how to do this. And what will happen to the one I choose?' I asked first two questions that came to my mind, but I had more, way, way more and new were incoming every passing second.

**I'll tell you how when it's time. What will happen, even I don't know. Such ****permanent bond will surely have some after effects or consequences, it's too strong to go without any. But I don't give a shit about them now. As for me the one you choose may as well bite the dust, we'll surely live. So for once, use your instinct for self-preservation, Kit!**

'Die? I can't let anyone I care about die because of me!'

**Kit, move. The one won't die if you don't kill him. You just need to… create a chakra bond with him to be able to drain it a little, creating something like thread that will keep you here.**

'Why did you say he may die then you stupid fox?!' Kyuubi indeed knew how to drive me crazy, even involuntarily at times.

By the sound he made I guess it went both ways.

**Just forget it! As long as you don't suck the one to death the bond will not threaten his life. Just it better be a trained ninja, for a normal human it might be harsh enough to put in the somehow weakened state.**

'That's all messed up pretty bad, Kyu, you know it?'

**That what makes it so interesting.**

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**A/N: **Outdated A/N has been removed. Instead I'll leave a link to a nice song: watch?v=1bZr0Cdnkdg&NR=1&feature=endscreen :)


	3. Bonds Never Severed

**A/N: **Hello. At first I'm sorry if you'll spot some more mistakes in this chapter – I've somehow caught cold. You've gotta be me to get it in May… yeah :P I'll do my best anyway, but the fever is raising so...

[removed a ton of redundant info, it's all been said in chapter 1]

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**OVER MY DEAD BODY**

**-Chapter Three-**

_- Bond__s Never Severed -_

**Sasuke's POV**

We were running to the border of the country of Sound. Orochimaru found it interesting that Akatsuki decided to gather so close to him without showing any obvious signs of hostility. He himself calculated that fighting with them all at one place wouldn't the best and most needed thing to do right now, but he found it wise to send someone to check on them either way.

I saw no other choice but to go. If they were all there that meant Itachi was there and that meant soon I'm gonna be there as well and nothing but death could stop me from fulfilling my goal.

Kabuto fixed his glasses. Honestly I wonder why does he even need them since he can heal almost every deadly injury with his chakra. I'm no medic, but correcting eyesight shouldn't be that hard to do, now should it?

"I still se no reason for them to be at Sound while it's evident they do nothing towards Otogakure" I said. I knew Kabuto wondered about the same thing. With Akatsuki one had to be careful, if anyone was unpredictable they were for sure.

"Hope we're going to find out soon enough, Sasuke-sama" said silver-haired medic, glancing at me.

"We have to be careful, it may have something to do with Itachi. There has to be a reason he's left me alive at the massacre and any moment he may try to get whatever he wants from me."

"True" Kabuto nodded. "I'm looking out for any signs of ambush but there's nothing so far."

"Obviously."

Then Karin came back from her quick reconnaissance, panting lightly.

"I'm positive there's new powerful presence along them" she said. From the distance she earlier felt some chaotic chakra signature, but couldn't be sure if it's indeed with the rest of them. With so many strong beings gathered in one place it sometimes was hard even for her to tell exactly who are we dealing with and where is he situated.

It was weird as it was and with that information confirmed it only got more suspicious. Since the news of Akasuna no Sasori's death I haven't heard about any other Akatsuki member that bites the dust. So it wasn't likely they suddenly got someone new with chakra different and more powerful than normal human can achieve. Only one thing came to my mind.

"Could it be another captured Jinchuuriki?" but even this option definitely would require futher explanations.

Karin nodded quickly. "That's definitely possible. I've never met any before so I have nothing to compare it to, but from what I've heard I'd say this is it."

"It makes no sense whatsoever to come here to extract it" said Kabuto. "There are better places for them."

I scowled and glared in the general direction of the hideout. "That depends on who they might've caught." I felt my heart speeds up in it's beating. "Move now." And with that I resumed the run on much higher speed.

"What's going on?" I heard Karin ask from behind me.

"Shut up and run faster" I snapped at her angrily. I rarely shown any emotions anymore, not even anger, but that news made me feel anxious.

Kabuto fell into steps with me. "You think they may have Kyuubi's vessel, don't you?"

I nodded, there was no need to deny that fact. "I don't want it dead" I said. "That would close my only way to achieving Mangekyou. I might want it even after my brother's death. I don't like to have doors closed."

Kabuto nodded. I knew he understands me better than perfectly. He was a real bastard and the more time I spent in Otogakure the more I saw I was becoming just like him and Orochimaru. Sans the friendly fake smile, that was Kabuto's own trademark.

I felt some other thoughts trying to make their way into my conscious mind, but I forced them away. I didn't want to go into any of my feelings, I learnt not to. Path of life I've chosen required nothing but coldness and composure. I couldn't care, but I knew the small part of the old me was still there inside. But I knew also how to ignore it and do anything I wanted and deemed needed. Being guided by feelings was a weakness I couldn't afford to have, and if I couldn't destroy everything I've been before I had to find other way around.

And I did.

I calmed myself down and focused on the way ahead. If that really was a matter of Kyuubi's container we'd better hurry.

Suddenly heard Karin stop and turned around to look at her.

"What is it?" asked Kabuto, frowning.

She raised one hand to silence him and closed her eyes in concentration. "I can feel the Jinchuuriki's, or whoever it was, chakra no longer.

"What?" I asked blankly.

"It disapeared completely. It either teleported away or... simply died" she shrugged. "I think the later's more likely if they were extracting the demon."

I felt my body move and I spurted towards the hideout ignoring both Kabuto and Karin, leving them behind.

"Sasuke-kun!" I heard her yell after me, I knew if I ran on highest speed she couldn't keep up with me for long, I slowed down a little for a moment to hear what she has to say. "Akatsuki is spreading, you brother is heading separate direction with only one companion. If we follow them now we'll find them in covenient place to fight and..."

"Go back and report to the Orochimaru, both of you. Akatsuki's business here is obviously off" I said.

"But, Sasuke-kun..."

"Shut up, Karin, I'm in charge here and I tell you to depart now!"

She looked at me as if she saw a ghost, but I only threw her a glare and ran away, towards the complex.

-:-

The door to the building were closed and I even saw a seal guarding it, but I didn't give a shit.

"Chidori!" I yelled and punched through the weak chakra lock.

Stone shattered into pieces and revealed the corridor. I ran along and after turn there was a staricase. It wasn't a maze, I was grateful. I jumped down passing few steps with each leap and almost tumbled down to the big chamber underground.

I looked up and saw what I feared to see. There on the stone thing spookily remind me of some kind of sacrifice altar, laid him. I saw his blonde hair and that awfully eyesore jumpsuit and that was enough for to not be able to take the laying silhouette for anyone else.

I slowly walked over and looked at the body. It seemed... violated. This was no longer container for the Kyuubi, the seal that was always present on his belly was now gone, left only a few brown, deformed marks.

I just stood and watched. I was confused and torn.

I didn't know what to feel.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

When I saw him running towards me I thought I'm hallucinating.

I just stumbled out of the complex and was trying to locate Konoha's direction when I heard rushed footsteps. Hope came – that could be someone from my Konoha friends and would mean I'm saved.

But from all the people in this world it had to be him.

Sasuke.

He just ran through me before I could react, even register fully what was happening around me.

**Ignore him, Kit! You'll have whole life to find him again and haunt him even, but now move back to your goddamn village! **I heard Kyuubi's voice rushing me.

'I have to see him...' I replied to the Fox, because I knew I had to. Even having the whole life, which obviously still wasn't guaranteed, I could happen to never find him again. Itachi might kill him, Orochimaru might take over his body. The boy I've seen running into this building was Sasuke, still himself and still alive.

And I couldn't just walk away.

He was about to see me dead.

I floated down the stairs again, cold wind never leaving my surroundings. I saw him in the bottom, standing over my dead body with face void of any emotion. I walked over and stood right before him, looking into his lowered eyes.

They weren't empty. Even though I needed to focus all my attention to see that faint flicker hidden deep inside his black walls, I found it.

Even if only because I wanted to so desperately.

I felt a little weaker with every passing moment, air was getting colder.

But I couldn't move so I stood there right before him, this time seeing in his face no sign of mockery, no sly smirk. No hostility, no hate, no desire to take my life away from me.

It felt so strange.

**You're getting weaker, you can not waste more time!**

'I know. I'm sorry.'

I felt a tear escaping my eye and running down my cheek. I looked at the dark clothes he was wearing, the sword tinted sanguine, the Sound insignia.

The Cursed Seal, worn openly on his shoulder like it was his pride.

The pain running through me then wasn't the pain of being ripped from the reality. It was a pain I happened to feel when I was living.

Just the same. And as unbearable as that kind of hurt used to be.

I missed his friend so badly.

"I tried, Sasuke... I really, really tried" I said. "But in the end I failed you. I couldn't open your eyes and bring you back home. Maybe if I tried harder... maybe if I wasn't so weak... And... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Even to my own ears I sounded like I was mourning his death. I felt like he died and maybe it really was the truth.

And I knew it probably was our last goodbye, no matter which one of us will leave the Earth.

Then suddenly I felt another wave of pain, terrible pain. I screamed. It was sharp and harsh and it lasted longer than any attack before. I was loosing control, instinctively I fell to my knees but it brought no relief.

My arms were shaking, I looked up at Sasuke. He stood still like a marble statue, unaware of pain, deaf for my screams.

And then I reached one hand towards him and placed it where his heart lied.

"Teme..." I whispered, like wounded cry.

I knew it was the only thing I could do.

The only thing I wanted to do.

From my hand there came chakra threads, glimmering in the darkness of the underground. I couldn't see the through his body, but I felt them dancing in his insides. They came out of him and entangled his form, like the snakes that belonged to him now.

I felt my tears flowing in torrents, I became weaker and weaker but the pain stopped. The cold was receding and all I felt was relief.

I never stopped looking at his pale face.

I knew it worked. I knew that bond was enough.

"Teme..." I whispered feeling that consciousness was leaving me again. I remembered the last order of the Akatsuki. "Get out of here... now."

* * *

**A/N: **Please review and tell me what you think :)


	4. His Body is Mine

**A/N: **Hello there, thanks all who bothered to review for the nice words! I'm not so called "review whore", but it's really a reason to smile when I see someone likes what I'm doing :) **[5yl: ha-ha-ha. No really, people. If you like someone's story, let them know or they might flake out like I did from the lack of love!]**

And really I was afraid I'll make Sasuke OOC, it's damn easy thing to do in any romance fic that includes him. I'll try to do my best with him, but it's even worse since I fell into 1st person narration trap.

**As for Harmony909's question**: the whole life is well, relative thing. Kyuubi meant that when Naruto will bind himself to someone, he'd stay in the world until that person's death. It's a whole life of the chosen one. Of course he could have bad luck and his that one could die the next day, heheh... But for Naruto seeing death of any of his friends would be worse than his permanent demise.

- translation footnote in case someone watches English dub (?!) or just doesn't listen to Japanese speech more carefully. If I forgot about it in former chapters and shouldn't – I'm sorry. I like some phrases/names more in their native. Adds to atmosphere for me. **[5yl: I can't find the translation. I LIED!]**

* * *

**OVER MY DEAD BODY**

**-Chapter Four-**

_- __His Body is Mine! -_

**Sasuke's POV**

I don't remember how much time I stood there just looking at the body of the blond I once knew. I don't why exactly I did it anyway, I just… couldn't really move away. I wonder was his blood partially on my hands as well? If I never left would he still be living? It's not like I've never took life away, I did. Under Orochimaru I did it way more than once, but they were anonymous, I didn't care. And no matter how hard I wished not to care at right now, I couldn't help but admit something happened. Something that concerns me directly. And I don't mean the power I've lost opportunity to gain, no. He was a part of my past, no matter how distant and meaningless for me today, but I knew him, I remembered him. I know he liked ramen, I know where he used to live. I know about his habits, other likes and dislikes, about his way of living, the way he influenced other people. I know how much he meant to how many.

I know how much he cared about me. I don't doubt that to the end of his short life he didn't give up on bringing me home. That was his promise, that was his life, his dream. I knew quite much about his dreams as well, and even about his faith in them ever coming true. I don't think he was aware I did. He was always too blind to notice many, many things going on around him.

I care in a way about his death. But I don't feel sad. I don't cry. I just know it means something for me.

So I stand here, bidding part of my past life farewell.

-:-

Suddenly I feel like the ground decides to swing. I have no idea what's happening, I keep my balance, but I have a feeling it's not normal. I'm sure it's not the matter of real ground swinging, it's in my head. It's speeds up, I begin to feel nauseous, I never do from just moving in circles or waving motions, something is wrong.

And gets worse.

I try to catch any suspicious smell in the air, I have to keep in mind what place I'm in. It's not very likely they left any trap but it's not impossible either. But there was nothing. No fog, no smell. I'm not injured, there is no way poison could get into my system by wound.

The next "swing" almost makes me loose my footing, I get a hold on the altar body lies on. I take a deep breath and close my eyes for a brief moment, I must get out of this place to the fresh air outside. 'One, two, three!' on three I grab his body and throw it over my shoulder.

I stumble to the staircase and struggle to climb, my legs seem like they're made out of wool, but I manage to continue. I've trained with various poisons running through my system, I can control my body to the moment it falls numb on the ground.

I get out and breathe with the chilling wind. It doesn't help much. I move away till I'm under the cover of the trees. I can't stand in the open in my state, it's too risky.

Then I feel my legs finally bending beneath me. I fall onto my knees and lean on the tree. My mind feels hazy, I'm not exactly sure what's going on around me, but all I try to do it focus my senses enough to catch any anomaly. I ignore all the other stimulates.

I try to calm myself down to feel what's wrong with me. All that comes to my answer is a great sudden pain near my heart. I realize I'm still holding the body, I put it down on the ground and lean, supporting myself with one arm, the other clutching at my chest where the heart is. Pain is getting stronger.

But I've felt worse. I close my eyes again to chase away scotomas from my vision. I wince, my whole body is aching now, but it still hurt the most at my heart.

That's bad. If my heart is damaged, well I'm like dead. I need to get back to Sound to be checked up and healed. And soon.

Suddenly I hear the weird noises coming from the complex, I crawled on all fours and peeked from the bushes, to see the source.

"Oh crap."

I look up at the sky and yeah, there he is. The same, supposed-to-be-armless Akatsuki freak, with both of his disgusting arms well in place, cheerily throwing down dozens of his bug-bombs and hollering something about banging and art.

Sadly, I'm not going to stay and watch the show. I ignore the damn pain, pick the body up again and begin to run madly as far away from the incoming explosion as I can.

But even sadder is the fact, that no human legs could possibly run fast enough to move away from the "bang" radius in a matter of few mere seconds I had.

When I hear the explosion I know it's to late to move away, I do the next best thing, and that is, I fell flat to the ground covering my face and hope I'm far enough to survive.

But then comes something I didn't expect. I hear great "thud!" followed by a bunch of quieter ones.

No heat, no debris cutting my back.

I look around and see the big wall, made purely of sand.

I know only one person able to create such thing.

"Sabaku no Gaara. "

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

When my consciousness came back to me I realized I wasn't in the same room as before. I mean, technically, that was still the place, but it was totally devastated. Akatsuki must've completed the job.

Then it struck me – Sasuke. Even if I could survive being buried under all those rocks he would be smashed and killed. My imaginary heart started beating madly.

"Sasuke!" I yelled in futile effort.

'C'mon, you bastard, you had to survive, you had to!' If he died… if he died that would be because of me. No!

**Calm down, Kit, **came the familiar voice.

'Kyuubi! Sasuke… he was…'

**I said calm down. If he was anything he was right.**

'Eh?' I admit, when he spoke to me that way I felt calmer. He was old, like a grandpa who always knew more than you and was ready to advice.

Oh well, that might be wrong comparison.

**You are dense.**

'Sure, um… Wait what?!'

He chuckled. Kami! Shouldn't the demons be like scary and evil and totally lacking any sense of humour whatsoever? Yet he always found some way to amuse himself, I think that's just my luck.

**You're alive and in no pain, that means binding worked. Following this way of thoughts you can deduce that if he was dead you would die too hence the bound.**

'You don't have to talk to me like to an idiot, you know?'

**Not really.**

Annoying or not, he was right. Sasuke must be alive. I huffed in relief. 'Thanks, Kyuubi. It's hard to process all those information right away, you know.'

**I know**, he said, **but you don't have to actually WALK up these stairs, you know.**

'Oh shut up, will you? I'm not some damn Kami-knows-how-old demon to adjust to everything that fast! Give me a time.'

I pouted in the air and made my way back upstairs. It was obvious Sasuke got out otherwise he would suffocate inside from all the dust in the air.

When I was outside I looked around for any signs of Sasuke, I found none. The explosion and wind took care of any footprints left. But this time luck was finally on my side. I heard a commotion in the forest and I quickly ran this way.

Whom I saw there made me stop and blink a few times to make sure I'm not just seeing things. But I wasn't. There was none other than Gaara himself! He must've too be trying to come to help me! I grinned wildly all of the sudden feeling loved and cared about.

But the feeling was gone pretty soon. To be exact – the moment I realized I found whom I've been looking for as well. And neither of them looked particularly friendly towards the other at this moment.

In Sasuke's black eyes there was a death threat, known to me too well.

I wasn't sure if he knew that Suna was now Konoha's ally, but it wasn't likely he was left out of the world most important news since it directly considered Sound as well and he was close to Orochimaru.

Was it good, bad or didn't matter at all I was yet to find out.

What bothered me was that I saw my own body lying behind Sasuke. What was it doing here anyway? I was sure it was blown off by this Deidara fellow along with the hideout. The only person who could bring it here was Sasuke, but why the hell did he need it? I felt twist in my guts when I thought it may end up being used by Orochimaru for some sick jutsus of his or other gross things.

Ew. 'Just burn it, dammit!'

Then Gaara spoke up, it was nice to hear his voice again, no matter the circumstances.

"Uchiha Sasuke" he said, coldly. I liked more the way he used to talk to me, I'd give my ghostly hand to hear his warm laugh reserved for me again (not that I needed this hand really, heh). "What are you doing here?"

Sasuke growled. He looked really pissed and quite in hurry. I wondered why.

"Get out of here or this time I'll finish what we've started years back" he said.

"Give me back the body" requested Gaara.

"Give it back… please."

I almost choked.

I think Sasuke felt just the same. "Please?" he said, his eyebrows raising ever so slightly. "You actually ask me for something? Now that's just getting funny" he laughed. But that laugh turned into a cough and I saw the blood trickling from the corner of Sasuke's mouth.

I frowned. That was never a good sign. Was he damaged in this explosion after all? He didn't look hurt on the outside.

This was Gaara's turn to raise an eyebrow, though non-existent. He didn't waste the occasion when he considered Sasuke distracted, he tried to catch the body with his sand. But The Bastard was quicker. Not even sparing a glance at the sand, he cleaved it and moved to face Gaara directly, in his gentle, but still obvious battle stance.

"I just saved your worthless life, Uchiha."

"Well maybe you shouldn't then. Seems like stupidness is contagious after all."

At this Gaara narrowed his panda eyes. "Don't. You. EVER. Talk. About him. Again" he said through gritted teeth.

"Or what?" Sasuke asked, coughing again, spitting blood to the side and wiping his chin. "Even now you can't beat me."

I snarled. He taunted him. He fucking taunted him! I ran over and instinctively tried to smack him, but my hand just flew through him. "Sasuke you complete jerk!" I hollered. Kami why was he doing this?!

"He was always a naïve idiot and I'm sure that's what killed him in the end" and that smirk. He smirked, his eyes were flickering like the wild animal's would.

"SASUKE!" I yelled again as loud as I could.

For Gaara it was enough to loose his temper.

"NO! DAMMIT!"

For the following moments I could just helplessly watch as the two of my important people fought to death. To death! For such moronic reason! It was all Sasuke's fault, I know. He could just ignore Gaara, give him the body or even grab it and run away if he wished to take it so badly! He could do anything else but not fucking get into a fight! But it seemed like he wanted blood. This savage look, that was it. He wanted to fight.

'Damn you!'

But I saw something was definitely wrong with him. Throughout the fight he coughed a few times, every once coughing up blood. He seemed to have some internal bleeding.

But even though twice he fell on his knees clutching his chest, even though he was evidently in great deal of pain, he still seemed to be gaining advantage over Gaara.

He was good.

When I was watching them, worrying about Sasuke's health I almost forgot what was really going on here. It stroke me back the moment I saw Gaara cornered by Sasuke and him reading that damn Chidori of his!

That would be the end.

The end. Gaara's death.

"NOOOO!" I yelled and run to them, feeling like crying again, from anger, from desperation. I willed that damn attack away, I willed him stop, I begged him to stop…

And then the strangest thing happened. I saw the blue light fading away, lightning bolt vanished from his hand. I saw all his chakra flowing from his body towards me and it swirled around me for a moment.

And then it was gone.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

'What the fuck happened?' I looked at my empty hand, where moments ago Chidori was beginning to form.

I felt that chakra was gone. I lost it, but how? What was really wrong with me? Was I under some kind of mind-disturbing drug?

I glanced at Gaara, he looked half-dead anyway. I let go of him, and he fell to the ground, panting. He was no threat anymore, I stumbled backwards few steps and fell weakly to the ground, trying to breath and stop the coughing.

World was getting kind of dark, like the night was falling already which was out of question. Then I saw Kabuto coming my direction. What was he doing here anyway? I didn't mind though this time. He gazed at Gaara and smirked saying something about luck and another times and more important matters but even if I could hear him correctly, I wouldn't care really.

I felt myself being lifted up by him.

"Body…" I whispered. "Take it…"

* * *

**A/N:** I feel like I should explain two things for this chapter:

1) Why was Gaara defeated that easily - because Sasuke really spent all this time on training, back at the exams, Naruto was able to finally overpower Gaara, and back then Sasuke won over Naruto. Since Gaara lost his demon and became Kazekage, I think he was more concerned with Kage's work than training.

2) Why the fight wasn't detailed? Because

a) I don't know what jutsus they know exactly, putting aside Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu, Sabaku Kyuu and Chidori

b) I wanted to spare you all (and me along the way) the torment of reading monster I would create. If not for point 2 I could bother and check it somewhere but it's better this way, believe me ' I really suck at fight scenes (maybe because I always skip 'em when reading - too boring ;P)

Anyway I hope it wasn't total crap. And meh, there's true lack of usable, full characterized, important girls in "Naruto", don't ya think?


	5. Our Farewell

**A/N: **Hello.

[too a scalpel to this A/N. Tons of spoilers, lies and fake promises : ]

**Kandei:** I wasn't expecting Gaara to show up as well. He just jumped out of the bushes during making of the chapter. That's just the thing with my writing, I never know what will happen till it's done. (Don't take the bushes part too seriously, he had a reason to be there after all! :P)

**Katsheswims****:** FF tends to cut the links for some reason, is this story here or some other site? I could use search if I knew. I'm glad you like my story!

**Lydia-chan****:** All your questions will be answered in the plot further :) I have the "ghost" mechanics thought through by now.

And meh, it ate my star-marks in previous chapter. Anyways, onto the chappie. Talked enough.

* * *

**OVER MY DEAD BODY**

**-Chapter Five-**

_-Our Farewell-_

**Gaara's**** POV**

Gaara slumped to the ground, finding it more comfortable than leaning on the rough tree bark. His back was scratched all over from the fight. He was truly impressed how Uchiha fought, having his insides clearly injured. Why couldn't he pierce with chidori?

Could he see the same thing?

No. Gaara shook his head. He knew he still needed to normalize his sleeping habits. As long as he had Shukaku he didn't have problems with staying awake with no consequences but that was oviously over.

He was beginning to see thing that were non existent.

Or non existent anymore.

He swallowed hard, his throat was dry, he needed to move and go to Konoha and tell Hokage what he saw.

That Naruto was dead.

Gaara winced at the thought. He tasted the bitterness of life enough, he knew how to deal with loss and tragedy. But the pain was there. If he had any saying in that matter he would die instead.

From all the people Naruto didn't deserve such terrible death.

He heard someone coming.

Team Kakashi. Another late ones.

He got up and hobbled towards them. He felt sorry, especially for Sakura. But wasn't going to lie about what he saw. Tsunade said they deserved to know the truth about why Naruto went missing, so they deserved the truth about his death and Uchiha all the more.

**Sasuke's POV**

I woke up on the examination table with those annoying beeping screens all around me and some weird things connected to me by that gummy things sucked onto my skin. So I lived and Kabuto brought me back to Oto. I looked around and saw Kabuto gaping at some screen with his back turned on me.

"Kabuto" I announced my awaking.

He turned around and measured me with his eyes. I sat up and got rid of all the burrs, or however he'd name those. I found my shirt laying beside me and donned it back.

"What was wrong with me?" I asked.

"Whatever it was it still is."

I scowled. "You mean you don't know?"

"Hai. I have no idea. I'm going to do more reasearch, I took few samples of your blood, but I'll need to run some chakra tests. But it's best if you're awake and cooperating for those, other way around they're really troublesome."

"Hn."

I got off the table and glanced at all the screans of engines I've been connected too, but honestly, I could hardly understand a word.

"How long was I out?"

"After I brought you here about four hours. I gave you some medicines so you'll be up quicker, but they did nothing more than make you feel better. Observe yourself and tell me if anything happens."

"Hn" I nodded. "Where's the body?"

"I took it to my lab to test a few things."

"What?" I asked hoping I misheard him.

"I took it to my lab, it is indeed interesting subject for research."

"You fucker!" I yelled, rage filling with rage. I leapt to him and pinned him to the wall clenching collar of his uniform. I felt Sharingan slipping into my eyes and this moment I wanted to hear this son of a bitch scream! THAT was no body for his sick experiments!

I was fuming, but I managed to control myself and let him go. "If you desecrated it, you'll suffer. I promise."

I left the room, my hands shaking and ran towards Kabuto's laboratory. Whole corridor belonging to it had the weird smell of mixed chemicals, that would make any not used to it human nauseous. Sometimes the vapours were working like drugs, making me all lightheaded at those times I had to go to Kabuto, but today I was lucky, they were just unpleasantly acrid. I found the door to the room where he always was running his tests on the bodies and waver for a second before opening them.

There before laid the blond's body, fully naked and stuffed with various needles like a pincushion. From his wrists diverged various elastic pipes pumping liquids in and out of it, same at his ankles. I growled and quickly began to remove all those fucking things, throwing them on the ground, hopefully destroying any results that sick freak was hoping to read later. I looked around for anything I could cover the body up and found a table cloth, in which I wrapped it.

I measured the room with narrowed eyes and then decided to set it all on fire.

"Katon, goukakyuu no jutsu!" As suspected all the chemistry caught the flames immediately. Grabbing the body and leaving the room to it's annihilation.

I felt disgusted to the point I didn't even want to go back to Kabuto and fulfill my threat.

-:-

On my way out I stumbles onto Orochimaru, probably wondering about the fire.

"I'm going to get rid of the body" I said, my words dripping with poison.

Snake Sannin smiled at me. "I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun, I didn't know it would piss you up so badly" he glanced towards the corridor I ran off. "I just thought that since you are unconscious I could as well let Kabuto play a little with the corpse. It was a Kyuubi's container after all, the data would be priceless."

"Enjoy your data" I snapped and passed him.

I had to get out of this place and I had to get out fast.

-:-

I stopped not far from the border where I found the hidden lake. I needed to clean myself up, I still got sand in places where it's shouldn't be and it was annoying me to no end. I got to the shore and undressed myself. The cool water felt like heaven. When I was cleaned up I looked at the body lying next to me, covered with blood and the remnants of Kabuto's experiments. I cut of the sleeve of my shirt with kunai and having it wet began to clean up blond's face.

"You know… When I arrived in Otogakure I decided I will never again say your name aloud. I didn't."

I washed the cloth and began to wipe the dirt from the rest of his body. It was looking terrible, all covered in weird shaped wounds left him from Akatsuki's extraction. It was a good thing he wasn't alive to see it.

"Later I went further. I begin trying to never think your name again. It was harder, one can hardly control his own thoughts. But an Uchiha can do anything, you know? I succeeded in it too."

I removed the fabric from around him and after washing his belly I leaned to look at the broken seal that used to hold the Kyuubi. I learned about it from Orochimaru. I remember it suddenly gave the sense to all the shunning he used to receive from the villagers of Konoha. I presume they never told us, even if we were on his team, in fear that we'll judge him same way the adults did. And maybe provoke his death on a mission. I don't know.

But when I learnt about it all I felt was curiosity. And maybe even envy for a moment. I saw what Gaara could do. I saw the Kyuubi's powers as well when we fought back then in the valley. But the envy passed quickly. It was obvious, he wasn't controlling it fully, neither was Gaara. Being a Jinchuuriki was a curse, but nonetheless I was curious about how feels.

I don't think if they told me I would feel repulsed, disturbed or that I would abhor him.

The seal was different now. I kind of remember how it looked before, now it was nothing like. It was gray at parts, at the other sickly brown.

"And even though now I wished I could say your name, call you by it, I can't. And I don't even know why."

When the body was all pure I covered it again, this time with more thought to make it practical.

"I wanted to… I think I wanted to say goodbye to you. To bury you, not leave your body in that ruin to be forgotten."

I washed my hands in the lake and then turned back to him.

"But can I say goodbye to you when I can't even call you by your name? You deserve more than that."

I picked the body up and threw it back over my shoulder.

"I'll take you where you'll get the real farewell. From the people who learnt to care when it still wasn't too late."

* * *

**A/N:**The chapter title comes from the song by "Within Temptation". Beautiful one, if you haven't heard it, you may wanna try.


	6. Hero's Comeback

**A/N: **Heya. My free week is coming to an end. That sucks.

I like when you guys are trying to figure out in reviews what's incoming. That's always interesting :) But I don't think anyone noticed one important thing in the last chappie!

Title of the chapter is from Shippuuden opening song this time.

* * *

**-Chapter Six-**

_- Hero's Comeback –_

"_Do you know what happens to heroes in the real world? They end up dead!"_

- "Heroes" TV series

**Sasuke's POV**

Surprising how well I still remembered way leading to Konoha. But what was unusual is how easy their patrols were to evade, even with that weight on my shoulder slowing me down a little and forcing to take quick rest from time to time, especially since the duration of Kabuto's drugs was definitely coming to an end.

But before I could bleed to death or die in any other way I saw the village walls through the trees. I jumped down from the trees, fixed the body to the better position and wondered whom I'm going to meet first. If the spiteful laws of nature were working that day I was sure it's going to be someone I know.

Not that it really mattered that much. I was barely standing and hardly able to care about anything but ending this wrecking run soon.

Cough. Yeah.

I moved towards the gates and unmasked my chakra. Immediately there were three four figures running my direction, one of them… well a dog.

So at least the nature was fine.

I stopped and waited as Kiba along with Akamaru came into sight, followed closely by Shikamaru and Neji.

When they saw me they stopped dead in their tracks, Kiba with dumb expression on his face, Shikamaru calculating and looking for traps, Neji… well… it's not like he had many expressions to choose from. He was so like me at times. I respected him back in Konoha and seeing his Jounin uniform I think that was right. Honestly, that clan could have great heir if his father wasn't born a while later than that hopeless girl's.

Then their eyes fell on the body wrapped in gray cloth, too bad couldn't see anything recognizable from where they stood.

Shikamaru was first to speak. He looked at me, his eyes void of usual laziness. "Whom are you carrying?" he asked.

I smirked. "I think you know Shikamaru."

He blinked a few times, it was weird seeing him showing emotions, so many emotion in just few blinks of his eyes. I saw his every muscle tense, it lasted a second or less, but that very second I could see the magnitude of his feelings toward the Kyuubi's vessel.

"S-so that… that's what he… again… and…"

Kiba looked at him clearly confused as to what was happening, Neji was getting to us, his eyes sparkling dangerously. But what got my attention was Shikamaru's stuttered words. I looked at him wanting to continue.

"That's what he what again?" I asked.

It seemed to bring him back from the depths of his mind. "He went to look for you again, Uchiha, didn't he? What happened to him?! What have you done?!"

Oh? Didn't they know he was captured by Akatsuki? I almost laughed. That was getting ridiculous, seems like Hokage had some other plans than making it known. But on the other hand I could understand her strategy, seeing the shock washing over Kiba's face, Neji's frown and pure anger in the eyes of the Konoha genious I could imagine the turmoil and chaos news about his capturing by none other by Akatsuki would have provoked and all his friends demanding to go on a rescue mission.

I knew now that the only ones send after must have been Kakashi, Sakura and probably that other guy, along with Gaara from Sand. It wasn't bad choice. Sending huge group would slow them down and be a hindrance in any stealth actions.

Not that it mattered anyway. Even lone Gaara was too late.

Akatsuki played it real well.

"Naruto!" Kiba hollered running forward but he was stopped by Neji grabbing his shoulder. "Naruto! Get up! Speak! Dammit! Wake him up, Uchiha! Now!"

I raised an eyebrow, still smirking at him. "Can't do. Sorry."

Emotions were funny things to screw with, weren't they?

"What do you mean can't do?! Shika, give me those analeptics. Shika?"

Shikamaru just shook his head, closing his eyes. "No, Kiba."

"What?"

"Naruto's… dead."

"What..?" suddenly all the Kiba's anger was gone. His bared fangs hidden, his arms fell limply to his sides and he just stared blankly at Shikamaru. "What..? No… No!"

"Yes" I said.

Neji came towards me and looked me deep in the eye. I returned his glare.

"What are you doing here, Uchiha?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Either you're blind or retarded" I said and ignoring him walked over to Kiba and took down the body handing it to him. "Take it to Hokage."

He looked at me as if I was from other world for a moment, then he lowered his eyes to blond's face. He touched it lightly and I thought he was going to cry, but then he just took it from my hands like the most fragile porcelain doll and held it tight to himself. And he left as I told him.

I knew they were going to take to the prison now, and I knew I was in no condition to oppose. So when they did I just followed. They lead me through the small, hidden streets so no one will spot me too fast. When we were finally at place I just fell to the blanket on the floor and drifted to sleep.

Come what may.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

All the time from the moment Kabuto took him to the moment he was thrown into the cell I was following Sasuke. I saw him suffering from the effects of the bonding, I'm not if what I saw in his eyes at times was the fear. I would be scared to death if I was him, what he was going through looked like he really was dying. Was it why he decided to take my body to Konoha? Was it why he didn't fight his way out but obediently followed to jail? Didn't he care anymore because he thought he was dying and he wanted to rest too in his home village?

I didn't want him to die, but I didn't want to think he's dying even more. When I saw him getting my body from that awful place, his rage and how he took care of it… when I heard what he was saying I thought I'll… I don't know what I would do since I can't do anything, no matter how hard I tried I couldn't force any effect on the surroundings.

I saw my other three friends learning about my death. You know when you can walk around unseen, observe people who think no one's watching them, you may see details eye of normal human would be unable to catch. I saw tears gathering in their eyes and that sadness that made me feel like my own insides were being ripped. I loved them all in a way, I'm not so sure anymore if it's good I stayed in this world to watch them all like this after my death.

I can't understand why Sasuke is acting the way he is. The moment he seems like he cares, he talks to me! Damn, he talks to a deadman like he really wanted me to hear him and the next he's saying all the wrongs about me, mocking my death and throwing it into faces of my friends. I don't understand. I want to understand him, but I can't.

When he fell asleep I watched him for a while, checking if he isn't dying or something. I don't know what would I do if he happened to be dying, but well, I would try anything.

'Kyuubi?'

**Still here. What a surprise, isn't it?**

'Give me a break, Kyuu' I pouted. Stupid fox. 'I wonder, if it was really, really, really necessary…' I had to make sure he knows his damn ass is safe as long as it can be… damn self-centered demons. 'I mean like if The Bastard was like, dying, that would mean we're dying too anyway, but if it was known but still could be helped if…'

**No.**

'Whaaa? I didn't finish asking!'

**I know what you wanted to ask, save your breath. You can't unbind yourself to save him.**

'Why?'

**That would break his heart. Quite ****literally to be honest.**

'Oh… aw…'

Damn… I was ready to do this to spare him all this… If he died because of me… Well the good part was I would be dead too so I wouldn't be here anymore to regret, but still…

I sighed. I was "sitting" down beside him in this cold cell, I saw him trembling a little, but all I could feel was the pleasant warmth that was never leaving me since I found him during the fight with Gaara.

I reached my hand and ran it through his cheek, he shivered more I retracted it startled. Was it just a random shiver?

I tried again, this time touching his arm, I felt nothing more but an air, but he visibly trembled.

"Sasuke?" I asked. Was I getting some contact with the world outside? "Sasuke!" I yelled right to his ear but got no reaction whatsoever.

Crap. Couldn't it be that easy?

I stood up, he didn't look like waking soon and he surely didn't need more shivers running through him. I decided I'll research more on this phenomenon later.

I was back home. I wanted to see the village again. And the knowledge that now I could be both right here at home and have Sasuke so close was making me smile. I flew out of the prison and began to wander the streets, it was obvious not everyone knew I was kidnapped by Akatsuki, most my acquaintances were probably just thinking I was on another mission or something along those lines.

'Kyuubi…' I called my "companion" again. 'But he's not going to die from this bond thing, right? You said he wouldn't… back then.'

**If I did and you believe me why are you asking?**

'Maybe because you're a evil demon concerned about his ass only!'

I heard him laugh. **True, **he admitted, even though I wished this time he would deny. It was to have only one person to trust and couldn't trust him. **He's body is now in shock, it's a great intervention in all his systems. It will either pass or kill him in the end.**

'You… you!' I growled. I knew I shouldn't be blindly trusting everything he told me, but I was scared, I was in pain, and what he was saying… I clang to it all, hoping he was sincere. I didn't really blame him though, for him other people meant just as much as plants meant to me. They were to eat or to use for my own purposes. But I know that Kyuubi learnt to care about me in some way. He even told me that once almost making me choke on my ramen in the process. I smiled at the memory.

**The chakra is most focused around his heart, that's the only thing really in danger, the rest will heal and adjust for sure, but if the heart stops it will be kind of over.**

'So you admit you ticked me then, eh?'

**A little. But I don't think he'll die, Kit. He's strong.**

'I know… I just really… worry.'

He didn't answer me again, so I continued my walk around the village, it was a nice thing walking around without those judging, hostile glares all around me.

I don't know how much time have passed before I finally wandered under Baa-chan's tower. I was sure she knows what happened really and right now she knew that I was dead as well. I stood still for a moment, pondering if I wanted to go inside and see her, I know I meant a lot for her, and she was well… my Baa-chan. I didn't want to see her cry.

But finally I decided to enter, she was there, as usual, behind her desk. But her eyes were hazy, from the corner of her mouth dripped fresh Sake, few bottles lied around and in her hand swung another, half-emptied already.

"Baa-chan…" I whispered coming closer to her. I wanted to hug her, to see her yell at me and crash another poor desk for my stupidity or another prank. Not like this…

Then I looked over her desk and saw the thing that made my heart stop.

There laid the paper signed by her and that Ibiki.

It was the death sentence. I looked at the name in bold… "Uchiha Sasuke."

"NO!"

-:-

The moment I ran into Sasuke's cell I could barely think. It was empty. He wasn't there. He was taken away.

No… nonononononono!

I began to ran around through the whole prison, I had no idea where they might've taken him and then I hear a pained scream.

Teme's scream. It was followed by his insane burst of laughter and then came another scream. I immediately began to run towards the sound.

It couldn't be happening, it couldn't, couldn't, couldn't! I didn't even realize before that when I was away my warmth was gone, now that I was nearing him, it was coming back, but all I could feel really was icy touch of fear and tears that started falling down my face.

Why couldn't I do something?! Anything?! WHY?!


	7. Last Wish

**A/N: **[outdated part cut]

For this chapter I'm sorry I quite skip the torture part, I know it's important for the story and I know it could be great opportunity to develop characters, but I can't write about it. I know quite a few things about tortures, when I was younger I liked to read about each one of them, was eagerly visiting all the torture rooms in castles we've been visiting, even if they weren't obligatory on trips. Funny thing, now that I'm older I can't read about it anymore, I can't write (I'd sooner write a lemon lol), I shiver when I imagine. I skip them on movies (like "Pan's Labyrinth", great movie, but so cruel at times). It's not gross, I've no fear of blood and stuff, but the mere thought it's not made up, it was really happening and it still is to innocent people terrifies me to the bones. If I were to describe tortures I would have to fight with myself, and for this fanfiction I don't really have to, right?

* * *

**-Chapter S****even-**

_- __Last Wish –_

**Sasuke's POV**

I smiled at the man I remembered from leading Chuunin exams few years ago. Ibiki, wasn't it his name? He was good at what he was doing, I couldn't deny it. But I was better. There wasn't a thing in Konoha able to break me. I heard my blood dripping to the floor creating slowly a puddle. I'm sure I looked quite interesting right now, too bad due to the blindfold I couldn't see a thing. I used the techniques I've learnt in Oto to block the pain as much as I could and the longer his torture continued, the less I felt the stinging pain in all the wounds.

I wondered when he'll ask those questions of his again. He sure was persistent.

"What are Orochimaru's plans concerning Konoha and what was your part in Uzumaki Naruto's demise?"

How many times I heard those names the last hour? I should've counted. I yawned and winced lightly from the pain it provoked.

"I said already I won't tell you anything about his plans."

"You're not going back there. You can as well spit it out, Uchiha, or you'll only get more pain."

I laughed. "Just for the heck of it" I answered. The pain couldn't possibly be any bigger anyway. "To piss you off."

He slapped me. Uh-oh.

"What a bitch you are" I said. "What do you want to hear about Kyuubi's vessel? I answered this question of yours already."

"I want the truth! You lied!"

"Maybe I did. Fine, I'll tell you what you want to hear. I was there when Akatsuki became their ritual" I heard him put his tool down and evidently beginning to listen to me in hope of hearing the truth. I was beginning to like fools. "I barged into the extraction chamber and asked them for a permission to join and help him suck the Kyuubi out of it's vessel, because it was SO DAMN MUCH FUN to watch him writhing and screaming from pain! And I swear I almost fucking CRIED when he died on the altar because being a sadist I am I really, really hoped to have some fun with him alone after that whole extraction, but well shit happens! So when he died I brought the corpse back here to toss it into his friends face, violated and hurt, so they could all see how DAMN PAINFULL his death must have been! Isn't it all more than obvious?" I laughed again, but in that laughter there was no joy. "So is that enough for you now or maybe you want to hear more details about my wishes, desires and what I was doing with the body all the way home?" I spit my blood on him hoping to hit the face. "You're such a fool"

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

I stood mouth agape, watching the scene unfolding before my eyes. Sasuke sat on the chair, bound by his legs and wrists, his eyes blindfolded with black cloth. He was covered in wounds I couldn't count and didn't even want to know how they were done to him. Was it how every missing nin was treated in Konoha? Was it one of those darker secrets even Konoha had to have hidden before any ordinary ninja?

I couldn't stop shaking or tears flowing from my eyes. Why was that jerk resisting? Why couldn't he just tell? What meant "just to piss you off"?! I wanted to yell at him, but I was left at loss of what to say, even if he could hear me. I couldn't understand his behaviour at all, I couldn't begin to comprehend what was he willing to achieve by all he was doing since the moment he came to Konoha, when he taunted Kiba and Shikamaru.

But this… this wasn't just some jerk-play. He was suffering, he was being tortured and he still couldn't get some common sense into him. What was happening to him through all this time he spent in Sound? What things he must have seen there, felt there and done there that brought him to insanity? I couldn't name his state with any other word.

He was really insane.

This laughter… It was terrifying.

"Sasuke… what have they done to you?" I came closer to him, sparing a glance to Ibiki who was looking a little confused himself, his brows furrowed, and hand resting on those tools of torment, like they weren't sure if there was a need to use them again.

I kneeled before my best friend and wanted just to brush his face, but when I touched the wound I suddenly felt warmth slipping over my fingers.

His blood. I could feel it… kind of. It still wasn't fully physical, but felt it, it's heat and wetness. He shivered again under my touch, frowning, his smirk disappearing. What was he feeling when I was touching him?

Then Ibiki spoke again. "You are sentenced to death, Uchiha" he said. "You will be executed a week after Uzumaki Naruto's funeral, to show him respect he deserved. That's Hokage's order."

Sasuke's smirk was then back in place, though not spiteful or mocking this time, just… Teme'ish.

"Aren't you bothered?" Asked interrogator.

"Should I be?"

"Uchiha Itachi is still among the living, your greatest goal and revenge not fulfilled. Wasn't that why you threw away everything you had?"

Sasuke chuckled. "I guess it doesn't really matter anymore. There's funny thing about life, you know. You can be really hurt only by those who you love and care deeply about. And I proved to myself already that I suck badly at killing those people. So I can just as well die here, I'm dying anyway from whatever disease I'm suffering from" there was a moment of silence and then he added. "But I have a one last wish. And I hope you're all as honorable as you assert to be and you'll grant it to me."

"What is it?"

"I want to be present at the funeral."

What..?

"You will be granted permission under special restraints and conditions."

Sasuke just nodded, Ibiki waved a hand and two medical nins entered the room. "Make sure he'll live through." He said and then left.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

I spent one day and one night laying on the cold floor waiting for ANBU to come, restrain me and bring me to the funeral. When I was thinking why was it my last wish I didn't know. There were so many other things I could ask for, even if it was a damn tomato. But recently I had troubles understanding my own self and that lead to the nasty feeling of insecurity. If you can't count even on yourself you're screwed.

When I was laying there during the night, unable to close my eyes and get my rest I couldn't get rid of the feeling of being watched. From time to time shivers ran through my body, but I don't think it was that cold in here. I was in colder places and never trembled. But those shivers were different, they seemed to reach way to deep than they should, I guess it was another symptom of my disease.

Or just the death brushing my skin telling me the time's coming.

When you're alone at night in darkness funny thoughts tend to come into your mind. Ones, you'd laugh at in the morning, but at the moment they feel real and more than possible, no matter how asinine they are in real.

When the cell door opened in the morning inside came two ANBU, other two stood outside the cell. Didn't they see I was barely alive? I snorted at their cautious behaviour when they neared me to put on their damn restraints.

"I won't bite" I said. "That was the deal."

Funny as it is that seemed to encourage them. I was sitting so they kneeled on both my sides, one put a bracelet on each of my wrists, the other wound something around my neck. 'A collar? What the fuck…' but I bit my tongue this time, just scowling at the ANBU who put the damn thing on.

"Hokage said those three should be enough to restrain your chakra. Don't try to get them off, you can't. The collar should also prevent your seal from activating, so don't count on it" he threw me black clothes and waved his hand for me to follow.

After I was cleaned up and dressed they attached two chains to the bracelets on my wrists and lead me out of the prison.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

I was with the bastard whole night, not letting him out of my sight for a moment. We were both sentenced to death, but I didn't care about myself. What I had was just another chance, he was the one who's life was to be taken away. I was very disappointed. I know he was a missing nin, but still, hell… it was Sasuke. I couldn't believe they just wasted to… kill him. He came back on his own accord!

I wondered how much lost pride it cost the Bastard to be chained and lead like a dog on a leash. But he walked with his head high, eyes focused and sharp like always. He still looked like a damn winner. I wish I could behave like that all this time I was shunned around the village. I smiled.

When we got to the place of funeral I saw everyone there. All dressed in black, no smile on any face.

For the first time in so long every each of my friends, my important persons were in one place. For none other than me. I saw even Gaara, still not in his best condition, but standing there beside Tsunade Baa-chan.

And there, in the middle laid my body, dressed in white. Eyes closed, hair falling back, arms resting on the sides. I looked so peaceful.

Almost happy.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

I saw many eyes looking in my direction when we came. ANBU stopped in the back, but then I saw a small commotion and towards us came none other but Kakashi. He looked at me, his visible eye unreadable even by me. Then he reached his hands towards the ANBU and they passed the restraints to him.

"Come" he whispered and I obeyed, following him to the first line, where the closest people for Naruto stood. "That's where he would want you to be."

I nodded, suddenly feeling very out of place. I didn't look to my side, I know Sakura stood there I somehow I knew I won't be able to bear her look.

Not this day.

When they saw everything was ready and everyone was on his right place, Tsunade cleared her throat and tried to speak.

Tried. First try was just a choked sob escaping her lips.

"I'm… sorry" she said, regaining her composure. Her eyes were red, she must have been crying just a moment before. "You all know how important Naruto was to me, that's making this very hard… We're gathered here to say goodbye to one of the greatest ninja Konoha knew. Not everyone of you know how he died, as long as I hoped he'll be rescued, it was known only to those chosen to go and save him. He died by the hands of Akatsuki, during the extraction of the Kyuubi… He fought them alone, in fear of exposing his friend to a danger, he lead them away from Konoha to protect us all. He was dying alone and in pain, so now it's time to say goodbye to him, the way he deserves it."

I saw her taking step back and in her place came the Kazekage.

"I owe my life to the one who lies dead before us. I wondered what did I do better in my life that I deserved a second chance he didn't. If I could pay my debt back to him, I would without hesitation. He was the person who possessed priceless gifts, he had the warmth, he was never hateful, he was gentle and he was kind. And he was able to give his love to anyone" his eyes rested on me. "Even those hardest to love, because he knew they need it the most."

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

One by one they were coming to bid me farewell, put flowers around me, say the words that were making my heart clench.

I was crying.

And then Baa-chan came forward again, her eyes wet now, she wasn't hiding her tears anymore.

"I remember once this year he came to my office, asking for one thousandth time for permission to go on his search for his lost Uchiha… He was yelling at me and I just couldn't get him out of my room" she smiled through the tears. I remembered this day, I don't think she was ever pissed so much, dattebayo. "I told him then that the moment Uchiha will pass the Konoha gates, he'll be killed, so he'll better leave him alone at last. I remember his shriek that almost made my walls break. "Over my dead body!" he screamed. And there he lies dead, before us, and here" she pulled out a scroll and shown it for all to see. "Is the death sentence for Sasuke. His execution was set next week and he was granted his last wish. I think Naruto deserves even more to have one, and even though he can't tell us now, I know what he'll want. He'll want the friend he was ready to die to bring back to be pardoned. And so it will be."

I blinked and watched the scroll being laid on me.

And then my body was consumed by flames.

* * *

**A/N:**No cliffhanger this time. Review, please! It makes my day a lot nicer :)


	8. Part of Me

**A/N: **Hello. I don't really have anything to say today. Happens even to me from time to time. Thanks for your lovely reviews for last chapter! Onto the story.

* * *

**-Chapter ****Eight-**

_-__ Part of Me -_

**Sasuke's POV**

I woke up to find myself again lying in some other place I couldn't see due to the blindfold they found necessary for some damn reason. I felt a few presences around me so I gave no sign on consciousness hoping for them to reveal who they were first. As I regained feeling in my body I realized I couldn't be back in my cell, I was lying on something more akin to bed. Just then I acknowledged the smells around me. There was no more doubts – I was in hospital. Or at least medical room in prison.

The question was – why?

"I really do wish he had died instead of Naruto" I heard male's voice. I'm sure I heard it somewhere before, but not more than one time, since I could match no face to it.

"Sai, stop it, please". Sakura? Yes, it had to be her.

"He proved to have the balls of steel indeed. I wish I could see him once more and tell him he wasn't dickless after all."

"Yes, I'm sure he would appreciate it" she said with annoyance. "Mind leaving already? Sasuke-kun can wake up any moment."

Still with 'kun'?

"Fine. I'll see you later, Ugly. Don't waste whole life waiting here, in case he was in permanent coma or something."

"Sai!"

"Fine, fine."

I heard the door being opened and closed and some ruffling of clothes when someone else came into the room.

"It's okay, Sakura. He didn't wake up, I presume?"

"No, Tsunade-shishou."

Oh, Hokage. There came the answers. Or so I hoped.

"Good. Go train, you were to meet Kakashi an hour ago, there shouldn't be much waiting left."

"Hai. Good luck."

"Thank you."

And Sakura left as well. I was almost sure I was now alone with Hokage, but I wasn't feeling to well yet, it wouldn't be hard for ANBU guards to mask themselves from my sensing.

"Uchiha, I know you're awake."

Interesting. I turned my head towards her voice. "Can't we go without the blindfold?"

She laughed. "No. I'm not taking any chances here."

Che. Like I would take mine.

"Hn. So?"

She pulled out some paper and started writing on it. "You fainted at the end of the funeral ceremony. If I didn't know better, I'd think it was from emotion overload."

I smirked. "So why did I then?"

"Well… there obviously it was caused by the chakra binding bracelets. But not them alone. From what Hyuuga Neji said your chakra is totally out of any order."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"That you're screwed."

"Great, thank you" I snorted. "So why am I still here?"

"I healed you. When I checked you up your heart was under some serious damage, your lungs not much better. Other vital organs could still work quite fine, but the longer this mess in your body would continue the worse they would suffer. Of course if you didn't die before from suffocation or your heart stopping."

Lucky me. "So why it's messed up?" I asked, first time from the moment I came to Konoha my voice lacking irony and bitterness.

"I'd say you caught some nasty disease, if it wasn't for the fact that bacteria or viruses rather don't influence chakra like this. How long have you had this symptoms already?"

"I don't know how long passed."

"You were laying here for about two days."

"Still don't know."

"More or less?" now she sounded annoyed. I smirked wider. Orochimaru told me about her temper a few times. I think he had a trauma of sorts from his childhood with this woman.

"Since the day he died" I replied.

Silence followed. I think she cried again. Silently.

"I see" she said after a moment, her voice a little shaky. "Anything happened that could tell you what was the cause?"

"No. It was sudden."

"I see."

'I don't, damn it, take this fucking piece of shit off my eyes!' I don't know if there was anything more pissing off than inability to use the most important of my senses. I almost pitied Itachi at times, since I've heard he was going blind.

"I healed your injuries when you were brought here those two days ago, but they appeared again. Till today's morning, when I came and they seemed to be receding rather than deepening themselves. Not long after you awoken."

"Are those bracelets off?" I could feel my hands were bound, but I couldn't say if it were those chakra restraints or just leather tying me to the bed like a madman should be held.

"They are. Just the one on your neck is left. I won't risk you going berserk with your curse either. It doesn't seem to bother your chakra to extent of harm."

Awesome.

"So what now?"

"I'd want to run a tests on your chakra. But that would require your cooperation."

"Why are you trying to help me that much?" I was straightly curious.

"I haven't spared your life just to let you die, you know. That would be just a piece of wasted paperwork."

"Hn."

"So will you cooperate?"

"Yes. But I need to go to the bathroom first."

"Well go."

"Well I can't see a thing, you know."

She growled. "Fine. I'll take it off, but you are to have it on the moment you're out or I'll make you sleep through another week!"

-:-

When we were on the training ground she took off the, now chakra enforced, blindfold and untied my hands.

"Don't look behind, I want to see no Sharingan either." She was the only one standing before me, but I felt quite a few other shinobis around. "If you turn around you will be sedated at once and back to bed. You are to do only what I tell you and no other move. Kakashi is on your left, he'll see before you execute anything serious and you will be sedated as well. Clear?"

"Aa. You're overreacting. I'm not going to run anywhere." Yet.

"You never know with the Uchiha's." True. "Well, since you're ready, let's start."

She was instructing me to do many basic movements and perform easier techniques that required chakra control. I admit, I'm not the best one for the task, but I'm not that weak to be unable to all those frivolous jutsus. There was Hyuuga Hinata along with Kakashi watching me and the way my chakra behaved, she was useless. She was just saying it was chaotic, but I could feel it myself. But not chaotic enough to get out of control.

"Hm. How are you feeling? Weaker or anything?"

"Using such insignificant amount of chakra will make me feel nothing."

"I want you to deplete it almost entirely now. Maybe that will show something worthwhile."

"Hn. So?"

She looked as if she was pondering about something, then she moved back. "Chidori" she said. "In the ground. You all back off enough so he won't be able to get to you before immobilizing."

I heard footsteps around me. There was seven of them and the Hokage. Was I really THAT dangerous? I felt flattered.

"Hn. Now?"

"How many can you do?"

"Up to four now."

I could just imagine Kakashi's raised eyebrow.

"Well start."

So I did. After third though I felt exhausted. I frowned. "I don't think I can do forth today."

She nodded. "You're not in full health yet, I expected that. And kind of hoped for that. Try it."

"What? I said I can't."

"Try it. Summon it, don't use, but form."

I sighed, I had no idea where was it leading but normal people don't argue with medics.

"Hinata, watch closely" she ordered the Hyuuga girl.

"Hai, Ho-hokage-sama."

"Ready?" I asked. I wouldn't be too surprised if I got sedated for unexpected movement.

"Yes."

I focused hard and tried to form another Chidori in my hand. It was difficult, I could feel my chakra opposing like never before, it was receding deep back into my body instead of coming to my hand as I wished. Only a few sparks were appearing.

"I… can't…" I panted.

"Hinata?"

"It looks like his chakra is saving itself…"

Tsunade frowned. "Try harder. You have to force it out."

"I'm… fucking… trying…" I said through gritted teeth.

I closed my eyes and on count to three I decided to do all I could to pull it out. 'One… two… three!'

I felt the surge of chakra and heard the familiar sound reminding everyone of birds coming from my hand.

"It worked…" I said.

"Sasuke?"

"What?"

"Sasuke, mind opening your eyes?"

So I did and raised my eyebrows seeing the fully formed jutsu.

"Why the hell is my chakra… purple?" I asked and turned around reflexively to look at Kakashi.

Bad choice.

The next moment I felt the sting on my neck and drowsiness taking over me.

"That wasn't necessary this time…" I heard Tsunade say, and then Kakashi came over me and picked me up.

"He just obeyed your orders, Tsunade-sama" he said and smirked at me his damn masked smirk. Already having fun, bastard? Shouldn't you be in the mourning?

I wanted to say something, but that moment sleep took over me.

Oh joy.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

'Damn that hurt! Why can the ghost feel pain?! That's just unfair, dattebayo!'

**Be glad you're not alone, Kit, or who knows, maybe he would****'ve minced you into Chidori. That would hurt more.**

'Don't tell me I would live through such thing?'

**Of course you will. You're ****shape shifting and you're bound to his chakra. And you are chakra yourself, quite nice amount to be honest. Keeping both of us alive takes more than it looks like. And now we can't die anyway as long as he lives.**

'But if it's enough chakra to do a part of Chidori why am I not visible?'

**Rules, rules, rules. Don't make me explain it to you, you're too dense to catch it anyway.**

'Hey! Whaddya just say?!'

**Piece of truth. Just leave it, Kit.**

I pouted. Stupid fox. And stupid Teme's Chidori's…

'But he seems to be better, neh?'

**His body is over the shock. If all this sickness of his was caused by our bonding thing, he will be returning to health now. ****Or so I think anyway.**

'Don't you know like… everything concerning normal people?'

**Oh, but I'm here as well. Don't forget.**

'Che, like I could…'

I watched Sasuke on his hospital bed. I could only imagine how pissed he had to be and will be when awoken. I wonder what they made out of the purple chakra, I was to Baa-chan's but she wasn't doing anything concerning it and I felt like I had to watch over Teme, so I couldn't stay there for too long. Why was sitting here exactly observing his unmoving form I didn't know, I just felt wrong leaving him alone, like he was a child needing protection. I knew how asinine it was, but well, it's not like it hurt anyone.

Suddenly he moved. I though he awoken, but his eyes were still closed. He moved again and winced. He had to be having some kind of nightmare.

To be honest, I would be surprised if he never had any. He began to tremble a little. I wondered what was he dreaming about, but I didn't expect him to speak in the sleep, he couldn't, that would be too dangerous considering the life he lived. His mouth opened a little and he started panting heavily, sweat appearing on his forehead, his tied hands clenched to fists on the blanket.

"Sasuke… wake up…" I said silently.

Of course, he didn't. He just started squirming more, desperately trying to free himself from all the bonds. Every time I dreamt all happenings of the real world entered my dreams. Being in nightmare, immobilized, helpless and alone was… wrong.

"C'mon, Teme! Wake up!"

**Then wake him, Kit.**

'What? I can? How?'

**His chakra. Pull hard on his chakra, if would wake up even dead.**

'How?'

**You saved Shukaku's former vessel that way.**

I focused and reminded myself what exactly I did back then. It was on a whim, I didn't plan, I didn't knew what I was doing but I did pull on his chakra. I reached my hands forward and placed them near his head.

Okay… what now?

And then I just did it. I felt it throwing me a little backwards and I hit the wall.

Wait, what?

I turned around and looked at the wall with eyes big as plates. Could it be? Could it… I carefully tried to touch it, expecting hard surface, but… my hand went right through it.

I sighed. Rejoice the hallucinations. There was this awful feeling of escaping hope.

I looked back at Sasuke – at least in this I succeeded. His eyes were opened, and running madly around the room.

Awake.

I really wondered that moment, which one of us ended worse.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

"Close your eyes" I heard coming from behind the door as soon as dawn gazed through my window.

I closed them, there was no need to argue. I heard the door being opened and someone came in to put the blindfold on place.

"Tsunade?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Why was my chakra purple?"

"Straight to the point, eh? Fine. I don't know."

I sighed heavily. Of course. What did I expect?

"Don't you have any idea or suspicions?"

"Not yet. I want to check you for any marks or seals."

"What for?" I raised an eyebrow. "No one could do any."

"Just like no one could make your chakra purple, aye. Will you let me?"

"Hn. Fine."

Medics. I heard someone else coming into the room and I was untied. I undressed myself and allowed her to look for whatever she was looking for, feeling her chakra brushing gently over my skin here and there.

"And? Anything?"

"No."

"Thought so."

"Uchiha. I want to check one thing more."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"Permission. I need uh… your blood, let's say."

"Let's say?"

"Just… let me check it."

"Whatever. Do as you wish."

She took my hand and I felt a cold blade being placed on it. Second later she cut.

Deep, damn it!

I hissed.

But then the pain was gone.

WAY to soon.

"Why don't I feel anything now?"

There was a moment of silence and then the blindfold fell from my eyes. I looked at my palm and blinked a few times.

It was healed.


	9. In Delusions

**A/N: **Format C:\ sucks, fellows. And when absent-mindedness is added it sucks a bad, bad time. That's for my today's grumbling.

Here goes the ninth chapter. I admit the hardest part is not [spoiler cut!] That's the main reason the story goes so slow. The other is that I began to like it and don't want to end with it that soon. Just like I LOVE thick books (or series).

On the other note - summer's coming, it's getting damn hot in here, I wonder where the 23C+ heat-lovers come from really, no offence if you are one :D I'd rather have the winter through whole year. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snooow...! [5yl: wow I changed... I hate winter and revel in summer now. Funny].

* * *

**-Chapter ****Nine-**

_-__ In Delusions -_

**Naruto's POV**

"What was that?! I just SAW his wound HEAL instantly! Kyu?"

**Leave me be, I'm trying to sleep in here.**

"You sleep? Why can't I sleep?" that was one of the hard parts of being dead. I couldn't sleep, which I loved, I couldn't eat which I loved even more, I could do hardly anything pleasurable! What with all the senses gone… I could go and smell some flowers.

Rejoice.

**I'm different. Bear with it.**

"You're favoured by fate and that's it!"

**Yeah with no control over ANY kind of body and all…** well he had a point here.

"Sorry, Kyu. But back to business – what's with the Bastard's sudden healing ability?" I decided I'd rather talk to him in voice. Especially with other people around. It was amusing to see them being so deaf to everything I say.

Yeah, pathetic fun, but hell I had no other source and after the silent nights of watching the Bastard, the Wall or the Floor, I was near going nuts. Pf.

**Isn't it obvious? The bond is influencing him. Our chakras are constantly merging and mixing at some point, which may cause various anomalies in his body. Seems like he's got luck.**

"Sure he does" I grumped. "Jerks are always lucky."

**Another fact of life you honoured me with. Are you done already?**

"Oh just shut up and get your nap" I snapped at him. My attention was drawn back to Baa-chan and Sasuke's conversation.

"Don't you have any idea why this happened?" asked Tsunade, her hazel eyes narrowing, as always when she was sober and thinking.

Which wasn't that often to be honest.

But that sight directed at Sasuke wasn't portending anything really good. I thought she could suspect him of doing something to me to obtain that power, seeing that it was Teme after all I would too if I were her. Wasn't he doing all of his deeds for power? I just hoped at that moment he wasn't screwed even more for, that one time, being completely innocent.

It was more than obvious she already connected it all with my powers coming from Kyuubi, and as the conversation went I had just been made even more sure.

"No" said Sasuke indifferently.

"You know about the Kyuubi, and you used to be teamed up with Naruto. The red chakra and healing abilities of his came from demon's powers."

"I guessed."

"And still nothing comes to your mind?" She was getting impatient, I could just SEE Teme getting a smack on his head right away. But somehow she restrained herself from doing so. Was it only me deserving such a treatment? Che.

"I don't know where is your train of thought going, but I had nothing to do with the extraction and more so – was nowhere near when it happened. I came there when he was dead already."

"I know that, I just thought since you've been the first to see Naruto," I didn't miss how she stressed my name, "after and seeing your symptoms it could have something to do with it. I'm not accusing you of killing him so stop glaring already! These are only two things though, chakra tinge and healing, it can be anything. That was just an importunate idea."

"I see. There was no signs of Kyuubi's chakra around the vessel when I came in. There's no way it could do anything."

And that my dear Baa-chan went into berserk.

Literally.

A chair flew straight to Sasuke, but he dodged it last second.

"Don't you DARE speak of him this way! If you are unable to show Naruto the proper respect don't name him at all!" she seethed.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

Kami what a woman. She should go on some sedative not me. I glanced back at the shreds of once a vase.

"Fine, I won't" I agreed to her demand. Honestly, I didn't care.

I pondered for a moment about asking her to give me some pill, and just when she was about to get me ready for harmless another laying day, I decided it's for my best.

"I need something to prevent hallucinations."

She spun around on her heel and looked at me bemused.

"Hallucinations?"

"Aa" I was sure that any other I could bare without admitting and her knowing I may be on my best way to have mental problems. But not this one, not of this kind. I thought that made me weak, but he would say that inability is what makes me strong.

What an idiot.

"I don't want to have my senses mislead" was what I told her though.

Suddenly her eyes sparkled and she looked straight into mine like she forgot a while ago she was insanely persistent in making me visually handicapped in the most safest of ways she could find without blinding me.

"You were seeing things lately?"

"I was."

Silence.

"When? Damn, can't you talk without being asked every single question?!" she hollered and I smirked.

"Last night."

"What were you seeing?"

"Something ridiculous."

"Ridiculous what?"

"Nothing special. Just things that don't exist."

Anymore.

She snorted. "Whatever then. It would be thought if you talked to Gaara."

"Gaara?" I asked surprised. "I'm sleeping well, thank you. That's not the cause."

"I know you are. I came here at night when the nurse told me she heard some noise coming from the inside."

"Noise?"

"Yes, thudding."

My eyebrows raised. I slept and there was no way to make any thudding noise in all my bindings. "And?"

"Nothing. You were asleep and still restrained. Window closed. She must've been delusional from the long work."

"Aa."

Was she now? Could a healthy ninja be delusional from a few more hours of work?

"What about Gaara then?" I asked.

"He had hallucination as well, after you met back in Sound. Since you two were closest to the Akatsuki that day, I have to know if it has anything in common."

"I doubt it."

"Doubt as much as you want. Will you meet him of your own free will?"

"I will" I sighed. I could as well do, all that was getting interesting and maybe she was right. Maybe Gaara will give some lead, albeit the perspective of meeting him wasn't too fine, much less talking to him.

"Then follow. I will get him and check if he has any other symptoms like you do."

With a "hn" I followed.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

On her way Tsunade left Sasuke alone in the room on the lower floor, not meant for the unpredictable criminals. Weird as it was, she really left sitting him on the bed and leaving the door open. She said it was a better option than leading him throughout the whole village in search for Kazekage.

I doubted she forgot who she was dealing with. After all, as I said before, she WAS sober that day. That could be some kind of test on her side, I went out and floated along the floor and peeked on the below one and yes, that was it – I noticed a few guards moving to the stairs and glancing warily towards the room.

And well, the Bastard still looked a little dizzy from all the sedative from before.

When I came back though, I saw someone I wasn't expecting to see there right then.

It was Sakura. All dressed in black, her pink hair tied with black ribbon falling on her shoulders. She looked so different rid of all the pink and red.

I think I liked her more that way. Weird thing, I always preferred cheery, bright and eyesore colours. Could it be that death changed me?

"Tsunade-shishou sent me to look after you" she said to Sasuke, little smile adorning her lips, almost too small to notice.

He didn't reply but he neither gave her an usual glare when she sat beside him.

"Are you going to stay in Konoha?" she asked after a moment of tense silence.

"I don't have much of a choice so I am."

"Forever?"

"I don't use words like forever or never" he answered. I didn't know why that felt kinda… sad? Insecure? I lived by promising to never do things, I lived by clinging to feelings that I knew will last forever.

"Did you know when you were bringing the body, that you'll be caught?"

"I knew my condition. I knew they'll catch me."

"Then why have you done it, Sasuke-kun?"

He just shrugged. I wanted to ask him just the same.

She turned her face to him and watched him in silence, as if she was thinking of what to say or whether to ask him something or not.

Finally he noticed and looked at her. "What?" he asked, but in that word weren't his usual superiority or mockery.

"Do you regret?" she asked silently.

"Regret what?"

"Everything you know… now, that he's dead. Regret everything that could had been done some other way?"

"I don't" came the cold answer.

I always admired Sakura for her confidence and evident feelings for that Bastard that allowed her to ignore all his ice walls and words that would break any weaker heart and stand with head upwards, fighting and fighting and never giving up.

Or maybe it was just something he had. Weren't I fighting till the day that I died to bring him home, even when he did all he could to crush all my hopes, to make me forget, to get rid of me? I was and I was NEVER about to give up. He was and is my friend FOREVER.

"Don't you feel sad, Sasuke-kun?" she asked, her emerald eyes enduring his gaze. "You used to be close. He used to matter to you and I know it! Don't you feel sad?"

Silence.

"No."

Sakura's eyes went wet with tears, she got up and left the room. Sasuke just sighed and looked after her before she disappeared.

"If I started regretting, I would have to stop living, Sakura" he whispered to the air and closed his eyes.

* * *

**A/N edited:** [outdated ponderings removed]. I'll recommend a song instead. Sia - Kill and Run.


	10. Our Ways

**A/N: **So the tenth chapter. That's some kind of breaking point, ne? So the chappie should be special in some way, I like special things and special occasions so I won't deny myself :) I guess it will be somewhat longer and **[spoilers cut. Hue]**.

* * *

**-Chapter Ten-**

_-__ Our Ways-_

**Sasuke's POV**

The whole time I felt Sakura's chakra just outside my room, but she didn't even peek in. I assumed she was crying. I know she's got strong since I left Konoha, but I still couldn't really erase the image of annoying, sensitive and stupid girl I had known. The gossip was fast, especially the gossip concerning Hokage or Jirayia in any way. Orochimaru never missed a piece of obtainable information.

And I always knew everything he did. Whether he told me or not.

I never felt anything towards Sakura, not what she wanted me to feel so badly. She gained some respect from me when we talked for the last time. It takes courage to spill out all of your feelings to someone who just continues to hurt you. It takes courage and total lack of common sense to offer giving up everything for that person. If it weren't for my clan's massacre maybe it would be different, who knows.

But it's not. I am cold and untrusting, I don't want to deal with relationships with others so I don't let them in. I know very well I don't deserve friends like Sakura and… him. They should've never happened, and yet they had. He would die for me a thousand times, just to make me come home, make me happy the way I can never be. He believed, damn how could he believe that strong that people can be changed? I will never understand it.

And I've lost any opportunity to ask.

But what amazes me even more is that when he died I couldn't leave his body for worms to consume, I still couldn't ignore him and forget everything.

Maybe I too needed time. Now that he is no more, no one else will be chasing me madly.

No one will stand on my way.

But then again, what is my way?

-:-

"You may go, Sakura. We'll handle him if he decides to do something stupid" I heard Tsunade's voice and then Gaara came in the room.

He closed the door behind him and looked at me with that eyes that used to scare even me. But not anymore.

"Gaara" I nodded in greeting.

He bowed his head and sat on the chair by the wall. We both knew what it meant to change sides and allies, and how to behave when whom you fought yesterday, today was with whom you were to talk with.

"So, your hallucination?" I asked, we weren't about to chit-chat.

"When we fought under the hideout, do you remember Chidori you almost pierced me with?"

I smirked slightly at the poorly hidden venomous tint on his words. "I do."

"You didn't hit my chest with it, even though you could. Was it on purpose?"

"No. I would've killed you."

"Then what happened?"

"Wish I knew. My chakra…" I shrugged, I really had no idea what happened. "Disappeared."

"Chakra doesn't disappear."

"So I thought. Why ask about that?" I leaned on the wall and stretched my legs. Damn, you spend a night without moving and you feel like you've just came back from war.

"That when I saw him."

My heart jumped, but I did my best to hide any signs of emotion. "Him?" I asked.

"Naruto."

What the hell?

"He was dead."

"Indeed. That's why it's called hallucination" he said slowly, frowning at me. Did I say something weird?

I understood nothing anymore. Last night I saw him too. Standing just beside my bed, or rather… flying to the wall.

And hitting it. And that moment he was gone. Not more than one second it lasted but I was sure it was him, none other.

And now what?

"Did you… have any other signs? Weird things happening to your body, diseases, powers, anything?"

"No. But I heard what's happening to you."

I thought that maybe Tsunade was right, some part of Kyuubi found a way to escape and mess with those closest to the body. After all he came later, maybe that's why it was mainly focused on me.

But the more I was thinking the less sense it was making to be honest.

"By your questions I can assume you saw Naruto too last night, is that true?" he asked.

I nodded.

"As weird as it is it may be a coincidence."

"Such things aren't coincidental. But it could be one time anomaly caused by whatever chakra surges were running through this place that day."

"It could."

The door opened that moment and in came Tsunade with thoughtful expression. "One question, Uchiha" she said scowling at me. "Why have you awoken at night in the first place?"

"Nightmare" I answered simply.

"I see. Didn't you feel something else? You chakra moving other ways maybe?"

Did I? I was half asleep the whole time, but when I thought about I woke up differently than I do usually, even from the nightmares. There was no impulse in the dream strong enough to rip me from it that soon.

"I did" I concluded. "But I am unable to describe the feeling. You think my chakra provokes hallucinations?"

"Maybe. You're a mess now, Uchiha. Kami knows what your chakra may be doing."

'Just don't close me in some chakra proof container and I'll be fine,' I thought.

"Anyway, I have an important thing to take care of now. I'll check up on you later. We can make a deal now."

Oh?

"Listening."

"I'll leave you free, but you are not to leave the hospital nor to attack anyone, that's obvious. There will be guards all over."

"Wouldn't it be easier to tie me to bed again?" I snorted.

"It would. But I want you to experiment with your chakra. I believe you do want to know what's happening to you so I'll give you one chance of trust. With your cooperation we can go further and so far you did nothing stupid, even though I can't understand some of your actions" she wrinkled her nose and turned around pulling out a bottle that looked like a one with water, but the smell told me well enough what was inside.

Wait… since when I could smell sake from such distance?

What the fuck now?

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

The Bastard seemed bothered when he was guided to his new room by some nurse. She said by Hokage's orders he's not to come anywhere near all those criminals as long as he is more or less free. Yeah, like he would build the army of wounded rebels to conquer the hospital and run. I snickered. Sometimes people really were overreacting. Or had too big imagination.

It was weird seeing how life continued without me among the living. I heard some people believe that the world began with their birth and will end with their death and all the history of things is just a made up thing for their use and beliefs in false reality.

I was never one of them. I always deemed my existence too meaningless and worthless to even think of thinking such thoughts. And even after I had friends who were proving and telling me I matter a great deal, it was just impossible for me to believe in it fully.

I never stopped saying over and over again that I'll become a Kage of Konoha, but I'm not sure I really believed myself even when I was just a kid.

Some things were just out of reach for people like me.

I followed nurse and Sasuke to his room and when he lied on the bed stretching I had a moment to gather my thoughts and think over everything that happened before, everything they said. They saw me. It had to be that they both saw me every time I sucked the chakra from Sasuke.

"Kyu, you think that may be possible? Answer me dammit!" I asked the Fox imagining that I really sit on the bed. "Tsunade Baa-chan said that the nurse heard the thud! Did I really fell on the wall? Could they both really see me?"

**Theoretically it's not impossible.**

I jumped. Finally he answered! He was silent the whole conversation before when I was yelling questions to him.

**I wasn't sleeping, Kit, I was listening. That sometimes helps more than talking and yelling, you know.**

I growled. "I know, stop being such a smartass, dattebayo! Should I try it again? Does it do any harm to the Bastard?"

**He seems to be fine, but if you think any of them will believe the image of you in whatever you say, you're delusional.**

"Why?" I frowned. "If I could talk to them I could explain everything!"

**First, you don't know if you're audible…**

"I could write. If I hit the wall I had to be material!"

**Let me finish for once! ****Second – even if that's what happened, the Uchiha kid isn't going insane and what nurse heard was really you hitting the wall I'm not sure if you can leave a note in a mere second or two. And that's how long you were visible.**

Damn, he was right. I sighed and "sat" again.

Suddenly an idea struck me.

"Kyu… and would happen if I took more chakra?" I asked, beaming again.

**I don't know, Kit. If you want to play with it, don't take all or you'll kill us all. And… I don't think you should show yourself to people, Kit.**

"What? Why?"

**Chaos, panic, disorder. Who knows what ideas can they get, especially now, that they suspect it's your Bastard's chakra playing tricks.**

"They might accuse him of misleading them or something?"

**They may accuse him of variety of things. Including forbidden jutsus he sure had the opportunity to learn.**

"I guess you're right. But I have to check it, who knows when being visible or having a material form for a few seconds could come in handy. And… I have to do it for myself."

**-:-**

I decided to try my little trick when it's dark again, listening to Kyuubi's words, I concluded it wouldn't be the best to appear as a visible ghost in the middle of a hospital, where nurses tended to peek in to see if the Bastard is alive, and the door could be opened any moment now.

So I spent the morning watching him trying some weird chakra manipulation techniques I've never seen in my life. At some points I felt a little tugs and then the energy in his hands was tinted purple.

"Is our chakra merged, Kyu?" I asked the fox after a few hours of either watching the Teme playing. I didn't want to miss something important.

**Kind of. The essence body you have now is mostly built out of mine chakra, yours is just an small addition. Majority was left in your body, and then just disappeared.**

"So that's why he gets it all red, but if that's so, why is it me who controls this wannabe-body we have?"

**It bases on how I was sealed in you before, the seal allowed us to stick together in this dimension of sorts, and so it still has some kind of influence.**

"Could you let me die and live alone?"

**Probably.**

"Wouldn't you be free then?"

**I would.**

I just blinked. I didn't know what to say or think.

I was simply stunned. Kyuubi gave away his freedom to save me along?

"Thanks, Kyu…" I said finally.

And I really, really meant it.

And he just chortled.

What a bastard. Another one.

Suddenly the door to the room opened and I saw someone I expected to see the least.

But maybe I should have. After all it was Uchiha Sasuke back in Konoha and out of jail.

Fan club had to show sooner or later. This time it was a fan club personated by Ino. I would grin or laugh, but I knew better. I saw Sasuke back in the prison, I saw him fighting Gaara. That wild, new Sasuke. I admit, the moment I saw her waltzing into the room with wide smile on her face and bright azure clothes on, I felt scared.

And ashamed of this fear the same moment.

Sasuke was my friend, he could be a bastard, but he wouldn't hurt Ino, even if she annoyed him, now would he?

I could try to calm myself as much as I wanted. The one look of his cold eyes that laid on her figure made all my worry strike back with doubled force.

"Sasuke-kun!" she screamed in greeting and hugged him, sitting beside on the bed.

Was she crazy or what?

"What are you doing here?" he asked, coldly, but without menace.

"I've heard you're back so I came to see you and talk."

And I'm a flying pig, dattebayo! I bet she was about to start hitting on him again, and was making sure she was first.

But why I had such a bad feeling about this?

"I'm not here to talk with people."

"But you were talking to some" she insisted.

"Yes I was. To special ones. You are not special so if you mind – be gone. I'm training" he pointed towards the door, but Ino was Ino.

And that meant such words would only make her more stubborn. I learnt how to deal with her to avoid any conflicts, and I'm more than sure Sasuke could use his genious mind to figure it as well.

The problem was that he probably wanted to have it his way.

"I heard it from Sakura. She said she was speaking with you earlier. Was it true?"

"Yes."

Was he amused? I swear I saw that eye-smirk of his.

"How come she's special and I'm not?" I snorted. 'C'mon! That's obvious even to me…'

"Don't compare yourself to her. What she's done is way above you."

"What has she done?" Ino's eyes narrowed at him.

"That's between her and myself. If you're satisfied now – leave."

That's the second time he asks nicely. Either he really wanted Tsunade Baa-chan's help or he didn't want to go back to his restraints. As far as I remember he used to be disobedient even in hospitals, not to mention tolerating fangirls.

But she just sat there looking at him with a stubborn look that was just screaming "I'm not going to give up that easily!".

Sasuke tilted his head and then he smirked. But it wasn't the smirk I knew so well, it wasn't just Teme-smirk.

It was something wild.

And that's when I knew she crossed some kind of barrier. But she still seemed oblivious.

"So why are you still here? What do you want?"

She shrugged, gleaming from being in such close proximity to him and getting his attention.

"I don't know, just… accompany you for a while."

"Fine then" he said standing up.

She didn't see his eyes going red with Sharingan.

He slowly walked to the door and closed them. He turned around and when she looked him in the eye I felt his chakra waver – he caught her in some kind of genjutsu. But she still seemed aware, not caught in any illusion.

He walked over her and caught her arms. I watched as he forcefully threw her down on bed, as his hands began to roam over her body, still smirking this evil smirk. She tried to speak or scream but she couldn't.

That had to be what Sharingan did.

"Sasuke!" I yelled, feeling raising panic. What was he doing? He was not…

"Why all the struggle?" he asked huskily and I felt the shivers running down my spine. That voice of his… was so distant, so unnaturally cold. "Didn't you just want us to spend time together?" his fingers entangled in her hair, freeing them from the ponytail, his other hand playing with the buttons of her shirt. "What's with the fear? What are you saying? "Sasuke-kun, what are you doing?" I thought a girl like you would know."

She shook her head, her eyes wide with fear and shock.

But then he stopped suddenly. "Scared?" He whispered. "Want to go now?"

She nodded fiercely.

"Sasuke-kun you all knew is long gone" he got up and walked over to lean on the wall while shocked girl gathered herself up. "Come over, I'll release the genjutsu."

Acting. Damn, he was acting to scare her? That sadistic bastard!

She did as he told, still shaking. "Kai" he said and she breathed loudly, looking up at him shocked.

"Don't come near me again, Ino" he said. "Run to the brighter places. Someone told me once that I am in the darkness. And I agree. And you keep out."

"B-but…" she was slowly calming down, I think she realized she was too stubborn, and he found his own way to cross the line even she would know not to pass.

"No buts, girl. I am capable of things you don't want to know of. And you really don't want to see any of them."

"But there… there must be something to… to help you? A… a way out of this darkness you're talking about?" she mumbled, her voice weak,

He snorted. "My way out is dead. Now leave. For the last time, or I won't stop at scaring you."

She nodded and before I registered fully all that happened she was gone.

Maybe he did overreact. But truth to be told, he found a bastardish way to get rid of her and do it on his own terms.

-:-

Quite a moment after she left it took me to calm down. I knew that if he went too far I would try to stop him by any chance. But somehow I couldn't believe he would. He was a Bastard, he was a traitor to the village, but every bigger bad thing he did, he did on purpose, and that purpose wasn't as trivial as getting his peace in the room.

He was raised in much better manners than to hurt people like that for any reason whatsoever.

I regret I could never meet his parents. But on the other hand, they would probably treat me like all others.

In the evening came Tsunade, Sasuke shared with her his none-too-great observations about his chakra, I tried to listen but they got into that technical language they use in books and stuff so I disregarded it. If they said anything of the matter Kyuubi would surely inform me about it. I was more concerned with Sasuke's words still ringing in my head – "My way out is dead." What the hell did he mean by that? He had plenty of ways to get back to the world of the ones living for real.

But my attention was back to them when Baa-chan began to talk about Teme's accommodation.

"You aren't sick in the way that requires hospitalization. You'll get the room in my mansion, which is better guarded and for your issues it's better to be close to me than helpless nurses."

He just nodded. I guess he didn't care.

She pulled out the chakra enforced ropes and bound Sasuke's hands again and then we got out of the hospital and followed her to Teme's new room. It was getting dark already, I always liked dawns, but since the whole accident with dying by the hands of Akatsuki and all… I think I'll like dusks more from now on.

When I saw the room I cursed.

"Why the hell is he going to have a better room than my whole apartment was, dattebayo?!"

**Maybe because there are no worse.**

"That doesn't change anything!"

Well that's the evening dose of unfairness for you. Pf!

"No way. Now I'm definitely trying the chakra sucking. And I'm doing it good!"

Kyuubi chortled.

"Can I go eat something in the village?" asked Sasuke. "I don't see you running around to get me some food. Put the chakra bracelets on if you wish, since it's all more stable right now."

I raised my eyebrows. That was new. The Bastard offering such a thing. I think he really wanted to have some taste of freedom. He wasn't used to be guided and ordered around all the time like that.

Baa-chan pondered for a moment, and then nodded,

"If you want to change your clothes, there are some brought from your mansion in the closet. Those door to the left is bathroom."

She went out and brought the bracelets a moment later.

Sasuke did as she suggested and then left for his dinner. I didn't follow when he went out. I levitated over the floor, planning, and getting a grip on the sucking.

However weird it must've sounded.

-:-

When he came back I was more than ready to begin. He walked over the window, and just stood there looking on the village.

"He will feel it, won't he?"

**That's obvious. But he and the others think he's mental as it is, so if he's the only one to see you, you'll live with it.**

"You've got the point. So let's do it, dattebayo!"

I rubbed my hands, walked over to him and put one on his head, the other on the forehead, those were the points I found easiest to conjure the chakra from. He trembled from my touch and leaned his head and palms on the chill, glass surface. I think it felt like fever shivers.

I don't know why but observing him for a while in the red light of the setting sun, just standing there so peacefully made me feel at peace as well. I just let it last for a while, I wasn't in hurry, he wasn't either.

"Was it all worth it?" I heard him whisper suddenly and I stilled. "Was all I've lost worth it?"

I thought he'd say more, but he didn't. He just stood there, I couldn't see his face, but I knew his eyes were wide open, and watching the view unfolding before us.

Fine, it's now or never. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

I intended to take about thrice much chakra as in the night when I woke him. He had much more, that shouldn't affect him in any serious way. He got rid of the bracelets already, so no real interruption on this side as well.

I was surprised I thought about that detail as well, to be honest. And proud of myself, hehe.

I breathed deeply, or rather performed something breathe like I was used to for all the years and then, again on three, I pull.

And I feel the chakra filling me whole, my vision goes blue and I know I'm taking more than I intended but before I reached the three times limit, I felt I crossed some point, and I can't stop. It's too strong, to powerful for me to break and I feel Kyuubi's rather working with the surge than to help me in my plans.

The more I get the stronger Sasuke's heartbeat in getting, thumping in my ears, I hear his every intake of air.

I feel him more than I've felt anyone before, and the feeling is breath-taking!

And I know, I feel when he can't give me anymore and only then I stop. Only then the wild waves of chakra let me stop.

And then his limp body falls to my arms and..

And I catch it.

* * *

**A/N: **Okay, so that really was long for me :)

I want to thanks all those who review, that's really nice of you! (gives everyone a cookie).

And since the story isn't just the beginning anymore, I'd really like to know what all you silent watchers think. You have to have a reason to watch the story, and a reason not to review. I'd like to hear it, really, all constructive criticism is welcomed, and it would be nice to know what do you like and dislike in "Over my dead body".

**[5yl]:** That's actually still a valid question. This one fic might be complete, but I never stopped writing in general. Any insights are still appreciated ;)


	11. Either You or Me

**A/N: **Hi to you. Another chapter ahead.

[cut the crap, because I've already explained this issue in chapter 1]

* * *

**-Chapter ****Eleven-**

_-__ Either You or Me -_

**Naruto's POV**

For a moment my mind went totally blank. I wasn't shocked by the feeling of touch, I wasn't dead long enough to be, but what happened was just… unexpected. I took three deep breaths to regain at least some clear thoughts.

Uh, first things first. I laid Sasuke on bed, kneeled beside it and checked his pulse. He didn't seem like dying, so I calmed myself a bit.

But there were still things that needed an explanation.

'What happened, Kyuubi?' I asked the Fox. 'Why couldn't I stop?' I suspected he could have something to do with it. To be honest I would be surprised if he didn't mess something up.

And I was right.

**I tried a thing on my own.**

Funny, but for the first time he meddled I wasn't annoyed. 'Explain, please' I said only.

**Not much to say. During your draining I managed to feel what amount of chakra taken can do what.**

'You mean you know everything about this condition?' I asked hopefully, wishing for it all to become clear finally and be able to plan the next steps.

**Of course not.**

But well, since when things do go easily?

I looked at Sasuke, laying unmoving on the bed. 'Is he alright?'

**He should be. He has enough chakra to live. He's just exhausted. To make out body stable, it requires a lot of chakra, for your understanding – just compare it to the very drying, powerful jutsu to cast.**

'So if I took less, this body would be unstable?'

**Most likely, yes. Half material, or other weird occurrences. Although I guess you could take a little less and get same effect, just for a lot shorter time.**

'Would he stay conscious then?'

**I doubt it. It's not only that he has no chakra left, but it was all taken at once, leaving a mess behind.**

I scowled. 'That's useless.' I didn't want to risk Sasuke being accused of doing some forbidden jutsus or other shit, and I didn't want him to think he's really going crazy by leaving him a note. He's stubborn, I bet he wouldn't believe, he'd rather take it as a prank or annoyance.

But if he was conscious it would be different. We could talk. And I would talk him out of this whole hallucinations crap!

I sighed. It wasn't that bad to complain. What I've done, was a huge step forward, and I just have to think of the reasonable way to handle all this mess.

'Kyu? One more question. If I took less could I be visible and audible to him?'

**Not for long. The chakra is trying to form material body as soon as it's taken, you wouldn't be able to control it even if you tried. The more you take, the closer you get to being physical, but the time you're changed isn't prolonging.**

'But now I'm here and I don't feel like disappearing.'

**Kit, think. You've reached the final form, so the rest is being spared on time.**

'Oh, right. Quite logical.' Damn sometimes I really could try to think more! I scowled at myself. Kyuubi spoiled me always thinking for me in the harder situations. It's his fault and that's it.

"Damn, Sasuke, why can't you just wake up?" I asked poking him lightly on the side. "Every time we meet, since you were bitten, something goes wrong. Either you want to kill me, I'm dying or you're asleep."

I wondered what would I say, if he awoke that moment. When asleep he looked so peaceful, like all the anger, hatred and pain he felt never existed. If I hadn't seen those features of his changing over emotions, and just saw him there and then, I wouldn't be able to imagine them any other way.

"I miss you bastard, you hear me? I wish you told me why couldn't I just get it through my head that you didn't need me, didn't want to have anything to do with me. Why you became that best friend of mine, and stayed such even though you've almost taken my life away. Two times."

I moved away his too long fringe covering his closed eyes.

"And I wished someone asked you, Teme, since I can't, that if you could, would you like to have your life in Konoha back. If I were still alive and fine, and you still were back here, I would do anything to hand back to you everything you've lost. I'm sure sooner or later you would earn forgiveness. I don't believe in all those 'for his terrible deeds he needs only to be condemned', you know? After the life you've had you had the right to make mistakes. Even if you think otherwise, you conceited bastard, you are just a human too, after all."

I smiled. There I had it, finally one of my dreams came true, I could talk to Sasuke, and it wouldn't end in a fight. He couldn't hear me, I knew, but I still wanted to say it all.

Just like he talked to my body.

Who knew that after death the life can become even more ridiculous?

"I'm glad you're staying in Konoha. That's what I fought for so don't you dare leave. Don't you dare leave now that you're finally here!" I yelled in whisper, keeping in mind that I had better be silent. "But even if you leave, this time, you won't leave alone, Sasuke. This time I'll be there and I'll haunt your ass till you're brought back in strait-jacket foaming from the mouth, I promise!"

After that being said, I suddenly reached for his hair. I couldn't resist playing with those spikes of his while he wasn't watching. I guess my inner child never really died.

And to be honest I didn't mind.

While I was trying to solve the mystery of gravity-defied spikes, my other part of mind wandered through other thoughts, in hope of making some clever plan of further acting. I couldn't use him like that to dry him and leave unconscious for Kami knows how long, but now that I knew that was the possibility, my option variety grew significantly wider.

For today I just wanted to see how long will that last and how long will he be out. I wasn't deluding myself that I would be physical for long, Kyuubi said it clear enough even for me – that uses tons of chakra.

**Kit?**Talk of the devil.

'Yeah?' I asked, not eagerly letting him pull me out of my thoughts.

**He's breathing is slowing****, I guess this collar is also allowing regeneration of his chakra significantly. You should take him to medic. But don't panic, he'll be fine, just do it now.**

Right.

Don't panic.

He had to be kidding me.

I jumped up ready to pick Sasuke up and fall into the wild run towards Baa-chan's office but Kyuubi's voice halted me in half step.

**Disguise, Kit?**

'Oh… What kind of disguise? I can't use transformation jutsu and transform into the Bastard's twin!'

Hm. But I can do other thing! I grinned at my cleverness.

"Sexy no-jutsu!"

Puff and there I was! In my other form, where I carefully erased all signs of whisker marks this time. I looked at myself in the mirror hanging on the wall.

And one apparent problem occurred to me.

I definitely needed some clothes. Naked girl running around was about as weird and suspicious as a dead-man, neh?

I walked over the closet and found there Bastard's change of clothes brought him earlier.

Then the joy of being so smart passed away and I realized anew what was going on. Sasuke could again be in danger! I quickly grabbed the first pair of pants and a T-shirt I found and began feverishly trying to dress myself up, but those damn ponytails just wouldn't let me! What the hell with girls with long hair, weren't they entangling in everything every time they tried to dress up?!

I growled annoyed and jerked and the rubber bands keeping my hair together and ripped them off.

Needless to say it only made things worse, but after a while of heated struggle I came out victorious, fully dressed. In a little too big and loose clothes, but dressed nonetheless.

I ran over the bed and picked Sasuke up, good thing I maintained my strength from male form. I huffed trying to get rid of hair falling all over my face, but that really was futile.

So I ignored it and kicked the door open, I always had the good sense of direction so I immediately localized where the room was placed in relation to Baa-chan's office.

I began to run, guard was trying to stop me, but frankly after the second glance he just moved away and let me be on my way.

When I got under the door to the office, I heard voices from the inside. At least 4 people were inside and I hoped no more. The less the better, definitely. I stopped myself the moment I was to barge in the room like the old times, and somehow I managed to knock, even with Sasuke's weight making it a real challenge.

Few second later the door opened and I saw Shizune who looked at us and blinked a few times.

"Uh, come in…" she said and quickly retreated to the back of the room.

Inside I saw both Sannins and Kakashi-sensei.

Just great. I hoped they wouldn't see through my jutsu!

But from the stunned looks they gave me I deduced they could have.

I swore in my mind and immediately heard a Kyuubi's chuckle.

'What are you laughing at?! They know!'. I was beginning to panic. Really panic. All my desperate tries to find something wise to say and disguise myself back came to nothing.

**They don't know, Kit. Relax.**

'Then why are they looking at me like that?' I frowned, hopefully only mentally.

Only a snort answered me and that moment Tsunade Baa-chan neared me.

"What happened?" she asked narrowing her scary eyes.

"U-uh… he fainted" I spat out not really knowing what should I say.

"Oh?" was that a glint of amusement in her eyes? What did they know I didn't? I glanced over at Kakashi and damn, he was smirking just as I thought. I was confused.

'Kyuubi?' I asked. No answer. Damn that Fox.

"Yeah… so I thought that… the medic should take a look… and here was the closest and…" Damn, a while more and I would be stuttering like Hinata! But on the other hand maybe that made me more credible?

"Lay him down on the couch" she said, I did, all the time feeling four pairs of eyes watching me.

"So… what was he doing when he fainted?" she asked. "I assume you were there to see."

Eh?

"Need you ask her, Tsunade?" chuckled Ero-Sannin.

Tsunade just shook her head and closing her eyes began to examine Sasuke. I looked around perplexed, trying to understand the hidden meaning of everything, but couldn't so I focused back on Baa-chan.

"Is he gonna be alright?" I asked, my voice sounding quite shaky.

She looked at me scowling. "Yes, he just seemed to use too much of his chakra. You may leave now."

Leave? I wanted to stay!

"Are you deaf, girl?" she asked. "I said leave now. We have matters to take care of. Go back to your business."

I almost yelled at her brilliantly exposing myself, but I had a good day for thinking and control obviously so I managed to just leave without any fuss.

The hell. Right now I just wanted to be the ghost again and see what's going on there! And what's with all the smirks, dammit!

I pouted and left the building, I could just as well take a little tour before the chakra wears off.

And I had just an idea of a little prank I could do to that Bastard. Few years ago, when he was pissed he liked to vent on me, so I could vent on him.

Just for the heck of it!

* * *

**A/N: **[spoilers cut out] Review please!


	12. The Source

**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews, folks :) hands over the cookies

What I always loved about writing was that the one whom events may surprise most of all is none other than the author. And truth to be told, the primary idea of this story was way different from how it's going now.

**[5yl: lol, and then it became something else entirely]**

* * *

**-Chapter ****Twelve-**

_-__ The Source -_

**Naruto's POV**

'You know Kyu? I think I could tell Sakura, even today. She wouldn't do anything stupid and she surely wouldn't accuse the Bastard of playing with dead' I thought to him, while walking down the street towards my house. I hoped it was still intact. 'And I bet I could prove to her I'm who I say I am, no matter how ridiculous it may sound since she saw me burning.'

Kyuubi didn't reply, but that was okay this time. I was more like pondering to myself. If she knew that would be great. I bet she'd advice me something sensible.

Yup. So it was decided. First Sakura, and in the proper time Baa-chan, when she begins to trust Sasuke enough to understand and believe the supposed-to-be-dead that he had nothing to do with the mess.

I wish there wouldn't be all those jutsus to resurrect and control the dead or do other terrifying things. My words would mean something and they would all just believe instead of smelling conspiracy and all kinds of mind play one could do.

Like in a ghost stories. The ghost is a ghost and no problem with beliefs.

I got to my door, I wanted to hand something over to Sasuke before I go look for Sakura. I praised myself for leaving the key on the frame and went in. Surely someone's been here for everything was a lot cleaner than before.

Guess it was Sakura. Not many others knew about the key and no one else from them would bother to clean the apartment.

I got to my box with all kind of sentimental stuff and got Sasuke's first hitai-ate. On the other thought I decided a ghost story wouldn't be bad addition as well. Let's see how smart the bastard will be when he sees them both laying on his bed.

I grinned. He was never the one to believe in spirits of any kind, always smirking this damn smirk when I was beginning to see things on some nights on the missions. "What scaredy-cat? Afraid of ghosts? You're such a dobe." And if that wasn't enough he just had to know some real creepy stories Itachi used to tell him when he was just a brat! Problem is he was scared when five, I was scared when thirteen!

Take that, Teme.

I hid both things under my T-shirt and got back to Hokage's mansion. That required some stealthy skills but I managed to get back to his open room without guards noticing me.

I've never before used the Sexy no-jutsu form to anything but drawing blood out of perverts, but I found this form quite convenient when in need to keep silent.

I laid both things on Teme's bed and got out. I needed to find Sakura, and I realized my time could be running out.

'Kyu, how much more chakra we have left?' I asked, hoping he knew.

**A little****. Mind that your jutsu drains it as well.**

I nodded. I knew. It was basic and easy trick, so the chakra it consumed was really insignificant, but minding the circumstances it could be a hindrance.

I sped up towards the hospital, hoping that Sakura was there. I ran through the main hall earning some weird glances, but ignored them and continued towards the area I saw her most often.

And there she was, I saw her pink hair disappearing in the room, her nose in some notes.

"Sakura-chan!" I yelled tumbling into the room.

She looked up at me, frowning.

"Who are you?"

And just when I was about to answer, of course the chakra had to wear out.

Rejoice! My life was just like on the movies.

Sakura's eyes widened and she blinked a few times.

"C'mon! Sakura, can't you see me?" I asked waving my hands before her face, seeing they're already back to my male form.

The answer was obviously no, since she just gazed through me blankly for a moment than shook her head.

"Can hallucinations be contagious?" she asked herself, looking utterly confused.

I swore under my breath. Well, it wasn't the end of the world. When Sasuke gets better I'll just do it again and now I had the overview on the how-does-that-work thing.

That time wasn't wasted.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

When I woke up to be greeted by white room and stench on medicines the thought of buying myself a private room in a hospital crossed my mind. That would spare people lots of effort of continuous carrying me back in here.

"What happened this time?" I asked. I tried to remember but my memory was blank. Last thing I remembered was looking through the window, the next – laying on the white bed.

"I think this time you should tell me."

I looked at the Hokage. She was sitting on the chair on my right, hands crossed over her sizeable breast.

"And what do you expect me to tell exactly?" I raised one eyebrow. I noticed this time I wasn't bound to bed.

Well that's some progress.

"Amnesia's strike?"

My turn to frown. Amnesia?

I heard the door creaking open and Kakashi came into the room, smirking.

"Ah, awaken already" he said and leaned on the wall, closing the door behind. "That really must have been hilarious to exhaust the Uchiha like that."

Hilarious experience? What the fuck?

"What?" I asked, I really was getting confused.

"Maybe I should go and find that girl myself, hehe."

The girl?

I didn't like where it was going, I really didn't.

"What the hell are you both talking about?" I asked, scowling at both of them.

"The girl who brought you unconscious to my office" answered Tsunade.

"Really nice girl, indeed" said Kakashi. "I'm sure Jirayia is running around the town looking for her the moment we speak."

"What are you insinuating?" I asked getting annoyed, but doing my best to hide it. For now.

"That instead of getting a food you got yourself a girl, Uchiha" spat Tsunade, glaring at me.

I looked at her in disbelief.

Moment of silence so the information could sink in.

And then I yelled. "What?! I didn't get myself a whore. That's ridiculous."

"That's funny" she said. "There came a blonde girl, panting and flushed, hair in a mess, dressed in your own clothes and you're telling you didn't. Uchiha, you're still a prisoner and if you don't want to go back to jail cell you'd better explain yourself. Now."

I found myself at loss of what to say. Just what the fuck was going on? Did I sleep walk or something? Or maybe I have split personality or something?

"How did this girl look?" I asked. That looked like the path to follow.

"Attractive high blonde, with blue eyes and delicious well… she was delicious" Kakashi made eye on me.

Now that was a funny description. Sounded somehow familiar. I frowned.

Odd.

"Anything special about her besides that?"

"No, not really" he said.

"I want to find her, I don't know what's going on in here, but I need to see this girl."

Tsunade sighed. "Kakashi, you go with him. I'm letting you go for now, Uchiha, since you had hallucination problems and there may be more to those. But I'm warning you – behave or next time I won't let you off the hook that easy."

I nodded and got up, feeling kind of weak. That reminded me of why I was there in the first place.

"Why did I faint?" I asked, but soon I realized the spiteful answers that could provoke and corrected myself. "What was wrong with me?"

"Chakra loss. Huge."

I nodded and got out before they could ask me what I've been doing with it, and I knew Kakashi would. He didn't change at all.

I found my way back to my room, it was obvious they were trusting me more now. I knew if I wanted to gain freedom in Konoha I had to obey the Hokage.

Which would be kind of hard if I continue to loss my memory or whatever.

I went in, I wasn't in a hurry, knowing Kakashi it would take him at least half an hour to get ready and come for me to go look for that prostitute.

What drew my attention however was the book I saw laying on my pillow. I didn't remember placing it there either. I walked over and picked it up.

A ghost story?

There was a piece of cloth dangling from the side, I opened at the marked page and froze.

My hitai-ate.

The one He scratched during our fight three years back.

I felt my heard speed up. I was no idiot. The very attractive blonde with blue eyes, huh? And then there was a ghost story with that item inside. And I saw him that night. All those pieces sent obvious signals to me.

Yes, I was no idiot and I knew it. But that moment I truly began to doubt my sanity.

But they saw that girl too, and she brought me there. She couldn't be hallucination, the hitai-ate and the book were real too.

I was sure that was no prank, no one here would joke about him after he died.

I couldn't make any sense of it.

Suddenly something hit the window. I looked over but saw nothing and no one.

I opened it and looked outside. I was sure I heard something.

And then something flew inside, passing me on the way. I turned around. On the floor there lied a piece of paper.

More specifically – a piece of origami.

I picked it up and unfolded.

_Uchiha Sasuke, I believe you have questions that need to be answered, and so do we. Only joining our knowledge we can find them, and so this time we should profit from each other. I guess that won't be a problem for you to get out of Konoha for a night, even though they seem to be convinced otherwise. If you're willing to talk, meet me in the night about a mile north of Konoha, beside the pond._

It was always said that it's best to look for solution in the source of your trouble.

And it usually was true.

I burnt the note to leave no trail. I knew exactly whom I'll meet.

And frankly, I didn't care.

* * *

**A/N: **[spoilers cut out] Review please! :)


	13. Who Betrayed Once

**A/N: **Hello!

[cut some outdated gibberish out, you're welcome]

**Stephke23 **– yeah, one slap on the head for me, please :P I totally overlooked the clothes detail. Thanks for pointing it out, I'll mind it when I come back to Sakura :)

* * *

**-Chapter ****Thirteen-**

_-__ Who Betrayed Once -_

**Sasuke's POV**

I met Kakashi just as we spoke before, I didn't want to raise any suspicions. But I was sure this was futile, there was no girl. I knew well that I won't find any logical answer to all those happenings myself, for now I just had to wait for a night to come.

I think Kakashi noticed I'm not putting my heart into this trip, he was always sharp, but he said nothing, playing his part as well. We visited two places of doubtful reputation, giving the description, but just as I supposed no one saw such girl. When we walked back to my room Kakashi stood for a moment in my door watching me intently.

"What, Kakashi?" I asked him. We haven't talked during the walk, just a few necessary words.

"Who was this girl, Sasuke. I believe you say the truth and it was no prostitute. But who was it?"

If I only knew.

"I have no idea."

"Sasuke."

"That's true. I don't know. I wish I did."

"Are you still working for Sound?"

I blinked. I admit that question put straight as it was surprised me. I could expect it from Tsunade, but not from Kakashi.

The better yet was that for that one I hadn't the answer as well. I left Oto, but I said I'll come back. I never left it forever, and the moment I went out I really intended on going back.

'But do I still do?' I asked myself.

"No" I answered firmly. Kakashi nodded.

"You believe my word?"

"I do. I hope you won't let that belief down."

He was playing a psychological game, but for that one I was too strong. I smirked. "I'll do my best" I replied.

He turned around pulling out his book and marched away.

I closed the door and walked over the mirror to get a better look on the collar on my neck. I had no doubt it had some kind of tracking trick embedded inside. I had to get rid of it.

Without ripping it apart, that is. Just getting rid of it would be a piece of cake. I don't know what Tsunade thought putting such an useless restraint on me.

Ten, maybe fifteen minutes later I had the thing off, and could place it back on in a matter of seconds. Good.

The sun was slowly beginning to lean towards the horizon, sky get a delicate pink tinge, but there were still about two hours left till the dusk came.

I laid on the bed and gazed into the ceiling. I wasn't really in the best mood for reading ghost stories and there was nothing else to do. But it could be worse, I wasn't chained to the cell wall after all.

I always hated being idle. I think if they wanted me to stay in the prison to do my time I'd rather go and hang myself on the chains than withstood it.

I couldn't help but wonder how long He was prisoner before they decided it's time to extract the Kyuubi. How much he's been through that time. I imagined that hyperactive person, always loud, yelling and repeating "I'm gonna be Hokage, dattebayo!" sitting in the cold, dark cell, his everlasting grin wiped off his face.

It was so wrong.

He wasn't supposed to be dead. He was too full of life to die.

I've never thought of it this way. That there's no more the Hokage gibberish, no more devouring ramen, no more idiot chasing after me like some raving lunatic with his yells of "Sasuke-teme!".

That thoughts felt weird, so out of place, but once they came I could do nothing to stop them from coming again.

And then came that feeling.

The feeling I had only once in my life, and it was years ago. The day I've lost my most precious and beloved person in the most cruel of ways.

The day I've lost my only brother.

-:-

When the night fell I got rid of the collar, and check in the closet for any sign of cloak of any kind. Obviously no one thought I'll be leaving the room after sun's down, so I found none. Tough luck.

I left the building unseen, easily avoiding all the guards. After sneaking training in Oto, Konoha was like an area with no living soul whatsoever for me.

I leaped on the roofs heading for a gate, two guards there were the only ones I would have to take care of before going out, but when I got there I saw them both leaning on the wall with dazed expressions. I carefully jumped down and came towards them to make sure they're really incapacitated and they were.

I didn't need help to get out, but it seemed like they wanted to make sure I'll get there with no obstacles on my way.

I ran towards the pond where I was about to meet her, or whomever she sent to talk to me.

After a while I arrived at place and hacked through the thick bushes surrounding the water reservoir.

And there she was, sitting on the rock under the tree, playing with a white flower. When I came closer, Sharingan activated, I saw she was wearing a midnight blue dress and a scarf on her hear hiding the unnatural hair colour.

For an random passerby she would look more like a nymph or a noble woman than the criminal, whom countless ninja tried to hunt down.

"Konan" I said and bowed lightly before her. She smiled.

"So you came. Thought so" she said standing up. "Your loyalties are just as fragile as your brother's."

"Don't compare me to him" I said, coldly but calmly. "Business is business."

"And power is power. Knowledge is power too. You're just the same, stop being in denial" she waved her hand on me.

I glared but I couldn't really counter that. There was truth in her words, no matter how I wished for it not to.

"There's an inn, a little further in the woods where we took care of any unnecessary gossipers. I'd love to drink some hot tea, the night's cold."

I nodded in agreement and followed her. I knew well enough that could be ambush, but I was willing to take a risk. After all, everything I achieved required either risk or insane decisions.

She lead me to a small building, on the way keeping non-obliging conversation. We went inside and sat on the cushions, the smell of various herbs engulfed us. I always liked tea-houses for their unique aroma. The host, although seeming a little scared, kindly served us.

"I hope you had no problems getting out?" she asked, removing the scarf and revealing shoulder-length blue hair.

"No. Who took care of the guards near the gate?" I was just curious.

"Don't bother yourself. They're fine and he's gone elsewhere now."

"I see. So ask your questions."

She asked me all about what happened after they left the body, I told her everything in detail, I knew every piece of information mattered and I wasn't going to waste that chance to finally get to know what's going on.

Konan herself told me about how the process of extraction went wrong, I did my best to listen to her tale as a purely technical description of events, but the image of Him on that altar while they ripped the part of him away materialized before my eyes anyway.

I shook it off.

"So what you say is that part of the Kyuubi's essence is missing?"

"Exactly. I don't know where it's gone, but the part responsible for the demon's mind was never captured. We think some amount of his chakra vanished as well, but we cannot be sure of that, since we have no way to know how much power he should posses. We just compare him to the other extracted ones."

I nodded.

"Seems like that missing chakra somehow clung to me" I said.

"Yes. But what's more interesting is where the consciousness went. And all the signs you told me about allow me to believe that wherever it is, the vessel's mind is with it."

"Dimensions? If such thing even exist."

She shrugged. "I don't know, and even if I did I honestly doubt if that place has a name. I'd say it's rather a state they're in, kind of between the life and death."

"If we get to know where they are, what will Akatsuki do? Pull it out of that state and join in the extractor with the rest of parts?"

"I'm afraid that's not possible anymore. But we can't afford to lose another in such way, and if one managed to escape, that means our technique is imperfect and other can as well."

"I wonder if Kyuubi could contact other demons of his kind even now."

"That's the possibility we have to avoid" she said, taking a sip from her tea.

I took one pillow to support my back and leaned on the wall. Funny how relaxing was this conversation, seeing that theoretically I was speaking with my worst enemy.

"So if we assume that there is the essence of either Kyuubi, the vessel or both of them, any way of how to contact them comes to mind? Before that neither of us can do anything."

"From what you said, there are signs, and the amount is growing. If that girl had something to do with them, if hallucination wasn't really what it seemed to be, there is a big chance he'll find a way to talk to you soon."

I stood up.

"I'm not going to wait until he figures something."

'He's too dense for it' my mind added.

She smirked at me. "An old rival?"

"No. I just want to get it over with sooner." How I hated woman with their ability to see right through people. "I suppose you won't tell me where will you be or where is your hideout, so how should I contact you if I'll knew something new?"

"Just come here and leave a message for me with this nice man saying when do you want to meet. I'll know."

I nodded. "Fine. Farewell then."

"You're about to do something insane."

"Why do you think so?"

"You're an Uchiha. It seems to be in your blood."

I smirked. "May be."

And then I left, heading back to Konoha, not once turning the Sharingan off, but it seemed that for once they really played fair.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

If I could I would strangle that bastard right away. One night, one damn night I decided to spend more in Konoha than sitting in his boring room. When they started heading back with Kakashi I went away to wander around, and when I was back to Hokage's building I felt something was wrong. No heat I always felt from Sasuke.

I flew into his room and just as I thought – he was nowhere in sight. But what got my attention was that he obviously managed to take of his collar.

I could run around blindly, but I decided to stay there and wait till morning. Maybe he'll be back, maybe someone from Konoha took him elsewhere.

'If by the morning the chaos ensues, I'll start to worry.'

And I did the right thing. There, in the middle of the night the door opened and in came none other but Sasuke, hair ruffled and adorned with wild leaves, his cheek red with something that looked suspiciously like a wild berry juice.

And I was the dobe?

"You."

I heard suddenly, as he closed the door behind him. I looked around, was anyone inside? I was there entire time and I was sure no one came in.

"You. If you really are here show me."

What?

Did he really go nuts? Who was he talking to?

"Idiot" he muttered.

Damn, he was talking to me!

He sat on the bed and began to pull the leaves and thorns out of his hair.

Did he really meant it or just said it to the air? What the hell? Where had he been anyway?

I walked over and carefully reached towards him. My imagined heart began pounding fiercely.

"Sasuke, do you hear me?" I asked, before I touched him. He said nothing, so I placed my hand on his shoulder, standing right before him

His head snapped up.

"Do it again" he ordered.

And I obeyed.

He knew. He knew!

"Sasuke-teme!" I yelled, but he still couldn't hear me.

Was that because of that ghost story book I gave him? And the hitai-ate?

His eyes were wide opened with Sharingan glimmering red in the weak light of the moon gazing through the window. I heard his heart beating fast, his breaths went shallow and frequent.

"Sasuke... damn."

I wanted to show myself to him but not as another illusion lasting for a second or such. I needed to think of something!

But it seemed that he had an idea of his own.

Though I on the other hand had no idea what an idea it was to slash his own hand with the kunai.

"What are you doing, idiot?"

He winced a little and watched his blood flowing down his palm. It began to heal quickly, and he was counting.

What was he trying to do?

And then he cut again, deeper and a few times in a row.

And counted again.

The wounds healed themselves, though a bit slower this time

"Just follow me and wait" he said. "I hope you're still here."

I was. I touched him so he knew.

And then he put the blooded kunai on the floor, rolled up and fell asleep.

Just like that. And I was left there shaking from excitement like a last moron!

Just like a dobe I was.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

I woke up late in the morning, I wasn't in much hurry and I'd rather enjoy my life. I got permission to have a decent breakfast and I made sure to stumble upon Sakura on my way through the Konoha.

"Hey Sasuke-kun" she greeted me. "I heard Kakashi-sensei had a big fight with Tsunade-shishou about you."

I raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"He's the reason you're let out of that room in the first place" she smiled. "Where are you going now?"

"Breakfast" I answered and hoped she'll act like I wanted her too.

"Can I come along?" of course she did. That was still Sakura after all.

I nodded. "Hn."

"How long can you be outside?" she asked.

"An hour."

She pondered for a moment and then decided it's just enough to go to some fancy new restaurant.

We sat there, she was talking and I was listening to her this time. Seemed like much changed in Konoha all this time I was away. She eagerly presented me with the details of majority of present gossips and didn't spare Ino a few bitter words.

Just like she always did.

But her voice was much less annoying and even though she basically gossiped she seemed to do it in a way that was actually wiser and more organised.

But other than that I ate my meal in peace. When we were almost finished, I turned to face her.

"Can you come to me tonight?" I asked.

She blinked at me a few times in confusion.

"C-come to you?" she asked.

I snorted. "Yes. I want to talk about something."

"Aa-h. Okay, sure, Sasuke-kun. When exactly?" she blushed.

"At the sunset" I said.

"I'll be there!"

'Oh I hope you will. I really do' I thought, paid the bill for both of us, at which she blushed even more, and then left to my temporary house. My hour was nearing to the end.

-:-

There I am, the Valley of the End. If my plan will fail, I want it to fail here, nowhere else. In my room I left the collar and a note for Sakura. I guess I couldn't be a good writer if I was unable to write a decent suicide note, but hell, I hope the message is clear enough for her. She is smart after all.

I stand on the edge of the waterfall, looking down at the falling water. The stars reflect in it with their silvery light and I admit it's amazing view.

I'm not sure about how it will all work. How much can the Kyuubi's chakra heal, how soon Sakura really will be here. I hoped I'll live through another insane idea, but even I won't I knew I have to do it.

I have to know.

I focus and summon the first level of the curse seal. I needed severe damage inflicted and I guess there are tons of people who would do it easier way. But I was never good at harming myself and I'd rather not cut my wrists and bleed in the bathtub full of water.

I am a show-off. That is the known truth. If I were to die by some accident, I'd rather do it in some extraordinary way.

Jumping down the majestic waterfall seemed good enough

The marks finish spreading over my body and I smoothly pass into the second level

I need wings.

And when I feel my transformation is complete I spread them and on three I jump down, positioning myself so that they would take any deathly damage that may lurk on the bottom.

The falling is amazing. I fight my instinct of self-preservation, and do nothing to stop or slow the falling.

And then I hit the bottom. I feel the wings break under my weight enlarged by the speed of the fall. Pain shots through my entire body and I'm positive I hear a few bones cracking. But the most vital spots were protected to some extent.

I'll live.

Though not for long. The curse seal retreats and I'm back to my normal form, laying half submerged in shallow water.

And the moment I feel the blood start tricking down my mouth again from all the internal damage, the moment I feel the life beginning to leave me slowly…

"Oi, stop yelling already… "

Cough.

"…Naruto".


	14. Power Over You

**A/N: **Hello!

[omigod spoilers. All gone now]

* * *

**-Chapter Fourteen-**

_- __Power Over You –_

_In our life there is "if"_

_In out believes there is "lie"_

_In our business there is "sin"_

_In our bodies there is "die"_

**Sasuke's POV**

He shut up and ran over to me. I couldn't fully believe what I'm seeing even though I prepared myself for it. I myself brought his body back to Konoha, I saw it on that terrifying table of Kabuto.

I saw it burn.

And yet there he was. A little transparent, that's true. Even when he kneeled beside me I could still admire those great statues above us and the night sky… before my Sharingan faded and I was left in the darkness, lit only by the gentle silver light of the stars.

But he seemed to glow with his own purple shine.

And I realized I just managed to say his name again.

He yelled no more.

"Sasuke… Sasuke, you see me?" he asked. "You hear me?" his voice was shaking.

"Yeah."

Silence.

"Damn are you insane?!" I bet that if he was alive his voice would echo through the whole Valley. But I guessed it was for my ears alone.

I smirked. "It worked, after all, didn't it? Stop panicking and hell… tell me what the fuck is going on here. Now."

Funny. I remember so well when it was him, who laid bleeding in the very same place, and I kneeled over him, saying my final goodbyes. And now the tables got turned.

"Uh… I think you've figured it out somehow seeing that you're uh… dying now. Damn it, Teme! What were you thinking jumping here like that?!"

"I figure you have your own way to materialize in cost of all of my chakra, isn't that true?" I ignored his question. He nodded. "Then why did you let me jump?"

He blinked.

Touché.

"I thought you had a plan."

"I did."

"Not that kind of plan! Stop it, you bastard, don't you see you're dying here?!"

"I noticed." My wounds were slowly healing, but I knew the damage I caused was too big for the part of Kyuubi's chakra alone to heal, and therefore big enough so I could have my explanations finally. Soon Sakura should come and then I'd be taken care of, and, with a little luck, live.

I think that plan was as perfect as I could make it with my resources. Who risks nothing gains nothing.

I was beginning to feel light-headed though.

"Hurry up, will you. If I am to die soon, I'd rather die knowing what did I die for. Explain. Everything."

The dumb expression on his face told me that it was clearly too complex demand for him.

Some things never change.

**Naruto's POV**

It was all too much for me to process at once. I wanted to yell at him for jumping over and over again, I wanted to tell him how big of an idiot he is, I wanted to curse him to hell for running from Konoha in the first place.

And I really, really wanted to tell him how much I missed him. But I knew I couldn't. I saw it in his eyes not once, he was not the same Sasuke I knew. And no matter how hard I wished to have my best friend back, here before me, I knew I couldn't.

But it was Sasuke. And I was sure somewhere under this cover of a madman was the person I longed for.

And so I had no idea what to say to him. How to treat him.

He asked me something, he wanted an explanation, but where should I start? What was important? How much time did we have?

I sighed and calmed myself. I had no time to think much now.

And so I briefed him everything that happened since the moment I died, omitting only the part which said I could form this bond only with someone who mattered to me. When we fought here, last time we really talked, I spilled all my feelings to him, I told him how much he meant and I saw he didn't care. I wasn't Sakura, who could bear having her feelings ignored, thrown away, flamed. I guess it was because she was always loved by someone, be it her family or her friends. I wasn't.

'Kyuubi, how bad is he?' I asked the fox.

**He's strong. He knew what he was doing.**

Knew my ass!

He got lucky. Fools always have luck.

"I guess when you're better you won't see nor hear me anymore?"

I think he shrugged, but that was hard to tell. It was night, and his shirt floated in the bloodied water, torn to shreds on the back by those terrible wings.

Why could he never solve his problems the way normal people do?

"That's obvious" he said. "But I have an idea."

Silence. Well?

"Are you going to say it or what?!" I yelled.

"Idiot" was he teasing me even now? Kami! "I'll summon chakra to my hand and you'll touch it. It may just as well make you visible."

"I'm not sure" I said, but that wasn't totally stupid idea. "What if that doesn't work?"

"Do what you did when you got physical and leave me a note if there's something really important."

I sighed. If that didn't work, I knew I couldn't use him too often to get physical.

"That would mean it's the last time we talk…" I said.

"Another last time. I'll live."

Bastard.

"Don't you mind this whole connection?" I asked, glaring at him. "If that's such a problem, you should be pissed I'm using your own chakra to stay in this world."

"I do mind" he said. "But the problems are for solving."

Solving? What kind of solving?

"If I could, Sasuke, I would solve this issue for you. But I'm afraid I screwed up again and there's nothing either of us can do" I said, crossing my arms over my chest. I tried not to pout. I really did, but why was he being such a bastard?

"There's always something that can be done" he said, closing his eyes.

Even though I didn't show it, his words cut me deep. I knew I shouldn't expect him to be happy from all our predicament, but still… it hurt to know how displeased he was. And at the very beginning it was like we were going to argue again, like the old times.

Guess it was just my time for delusions.

"Sasuke…"

He looked back at me.

"Please, promise me, even if that won't work, promise me you won't leave or betray Konoha again."

**Sasuke's POV**

I was confused. All he told me was ridiculous. The bonds, the fact that if one of us dies the other will die too, that he really was dead and even the body he had while he got into the physical form was just a creation of chakra, like a clone or something along this line… I didn't know really what to think of any of this.

But that was all much. I think that if I had a choice, I wouldn't commit myself to any eternal bond like this one.

But the fact was he couldn't ask me, so this once I couldn't blame him.

On the other hand I realized that I could face everyone from my past in Konoha, but when it came to him… I was at loss of what to say.

And then he asked me to promise my loyalty. I deduced already he hasn't seen me meeting with Konan, that much was obvious.

But I knew I will be meeting her again. If not to solve the "ghost" problem, then for the easier reach of my life goal. This was another opportunity I could not let just pass.

"I won't give you a promise I may break" I told him.

He looked like I slapped him hard on the face.

"What?!"

"You heard me. For now I'm staying in Konoha, but business is business and you know, there's nothing, nothing I wouldn't do to reach the goal I once decided to achieve."

"You can't leave me this time, Sasuke, I'll know where are you, I'll know what you do. And I have my ways to contact the world and I will use them. I won't let you destroy your life even more if there's anything I can do!" he screamed.

"Don't tell me what's good for me as if you knew me better than I do myself."

"Maybe I do, Sasuke" he said so quietly I could barely hear him.

"You have ways you say…" I smiled. "Who are they going to believe… a man who's supposed to be dead, or the one who can explain in detail the devious way his chakra works after being in the middle of the failed extraction mess?"

"You're not going to not going to tell them I'm alive?!"

"Repeat. You're blubbering."

"Aaaargh! I hate you!"

"Don't hate. Look where it got me" I snorted. On the back of my mind I sensed another powerful presences nearing our position. That would be Sakura and some companion of her.

Just in time.

"You will tell them I'm not just as dead as they think?" he asked, almost pleadingly.

"You are dead."

"Sasuke-teme!"

I ignored him, because that moment Sakura and Kakashi jumped into the water from the forest.

"Sasuke-kun! What happened?!" she leapt towards me and frantically began to heal my injuries. I looked where the ghost stood moment before and I saw him slowly fading from my vision with look of utter disbelief on his whiskered face.

My mind got even more hazed due to Sakura's healing process and I couldn't help but notice how ridiculous those whisker marks were at all. No wonder kids used to make fun of him if he not only acted like an idiot but also looked like one.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

And he did it. I couldn't believe he did it. When they asked him what happened he told them some bullshit about Kyuubi's and mine chakra's influencing his and mirroring it's previous owners even creating a clone in Sexy no Jutsu, who obviously was a girl Sakura saw disappearing in the hospital. He said he came here to run some test, and he counted the whole time Kyuubi's essence can keep him alive till Sakura comes here and some more loads of total crap I didn't even care to listen.

I have no idea how they both could believe it, dattebayo!

After all that I knew that my chances of convincing any of them to my theory, which, by the way, sounded even more silly and asinine, were very small.

But that really wasn't what bothered me the most. I knew that if I could save Sasuke from another mistake he seemed ready to make, I wouldn't mind staying the spectre, unnoticeable by any of my living friends.

Every passing day, everything Sasuke said or did just made me more and more convince as to how damn lost he became.

But as they say…

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

And I would do everything for him.

* * *

**A/N: **[I don't even know what I was asking about here... So off it goes.]


	15. Wrong Solution

**A/N: **Hello. Thanks for all the reviews! [outdated part cut]

* * *

**-Chapter Fifteen-**

_- Wrong Solution –_

**Naruto's POV**

I was really pissed this time. I hated feeling helpless. They brought Sasuke back to the hospital and left under care of some nurse, but this time instead of staying I followed both Sakura and Kakashi to Baa-chan's office.

When they briefed her everything that happened, her first reaction was to go into rage about how he got rid of the collar.

That poor desk of hers.

Then they talked about the load of bullshit he fed them with. And none of them realized it was big, fat lie!

That moment I decided to do my best to tell them the truth. I was aware of how small my chances were, but who never tries, never wins.

I got back to the hospital room where the Bastard lied. He was deep asleep, but I felt his chakra reserves were just fine.

So I borrowed them. This time I could focus on how it felt, since I knew I'll inadvertently stop before he gets hurt. On the other hand I wondered if I could take more if I wanted to. Too bad trying that one was out of question.

My time was limited and this once I did not intend to go into my girl form. I needed to convince them it's really me and that bastard lies. If I managed, I knew now what to say exactly so he wouldn't have serious troubles 'cause of my weird state. Hours of doing literally nothing, not even breathing at times, resulted in many useful thoughts. Every cloud has a silver lining, I guess.

I sneaked out of the hospital basically unseen, or at least unrecognized. I borrowed hospital gown and hid my face behind a wall of books and folded cloth.

It worked just fine, some people don't have to be such a show-offs.

I dropped it all at the ground the moment I barged into the room where they were still talking. Their eyes fell at me in dead silence.

"That Bastard lied to you all, dattebayo!" I yelled.

Baa-chan got up and began to walk my way with impassive look on her face, but I swear, I saw the pain in her eyes.

"You have to listen to me, please! You have to! I'm no chakra phantom, it's way more complex! Just let me…"

I felt her cold hands on my forehead and heard a whispered "Kai". The next moment she turned away and got back to her desk.

"Did she just… DISPELL ME?!" I yelled, looking at my semi-transparent body.

**Indeed.**

I sighed. I thought I'll go bad, that they won't believe me, but I hoped they'd at least listen and maybe think it all through and over!

But no.

She just dispelled me!

But my anger was gone the moment I saw her fall to her chair, face hidden in her palms. Kakashi walked to her and laid a hand on her shoulder, saying nothing, Sakura just looked through the window. She tried to stop the tears but they fell anyway.

"Sakura-chan…" I wanted to hug her so badly right now.

I left, I hated to see them like that. I had to find a way to either convince Sasuke to tell them the truth or to do it myself.

-:-

Sasuke hadn't woken up for the whole next day. Tsunade baa-chan did just as much to keep him safe and he was transferred to his room. I wandered aimlessly throughout Konoha looking for Kami-knows-what. I caught some gossips, but the remnants of my decency forbade me to use my state to my advantage too much. I couldn't help but think that if Ero-Sannin was on my place, he would be truly in heaven.

But on the other hand, would peeking be just as fun when you couldn't get caught?

I came back "home" long after the nightfall, when the whole village was asleep. I missed sleeping… Funny thing was that everything was turned upside down. When I was in a ghost form, breathing came naturally, so did the heart pounding. When I gone physical, I had to think of breathing and making the heart work. It was like every function of the material body had to be turned on and maintained by my will, and if I didn't it was getting creepy.

Cold, breathless, heartless walking body.

Ew!

I envied that bastard his sleep. He would probably wake up in the morning and I hoped he'd be just as bored as I was.

Being idle did nothing to calm my nerves. Just the opposite. I felt angry again for all he did. Not thinking much in one immediate movement I pulled at his chakra and threw the glass on the wall.

It shattered with nice jingle.

Sasuke shot up wide awake and activated his Sharingan. I laughed.

And I did it again, this time aiming for vase with flower.

"Headshot!"

"Dobe!" he yelled.

Hah! He said it. He called me a Dobe again!

Another glass. One to go!

"Stop it for father's sake!"

It was too much fun, and he could easily take at least ten more shots.

After another cup flight he looked really annoyed.

"Talk" he ordered and lit up his hand with chakra.

I walked over and touched it, just as we spoke before.

And it worked. His eyes immediately focused on me.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he asked.

"Haunting you" I grinned. The more annoyed he was the better I felt myself. "Boo!"

"Shut it, idiot. Don't do that again."

He wished. Didn't he know that the deliberate pissing worked better if someone was actually getting pissed?

"And why is that so?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "I can't do anything else, thanks to you!"

"That's because your intervention in my chakra does weird things with my body and as far as I know you'd rather have me alive too."

I snorted. "It's said that it does nothing permanently bad to you."

"It makes my heart speed up, my blood feel like running crazy and I think it's giving me a fever."

**Sasuke's POV**

I took a deep breath, I had to calm my body down. I could expect something like that from him. I thought he'll try to piss me off more, but when I told him more or less why I want him to stop, something changed in his face mimics.

"I didn't know" he said. "I'm sorry, Sasuke. Are you alright?"

Was he worried already?

"Leave it. I'll live" I said.

He looked at me frowning, his hand still bathed in the chakra, I wondered how long can I maintain his visual image.

"You sure, you're fine?"

"I'm no porcelain doll, Dobe."

"But you sure look like one!" he grinned and I felt an urge to punch him.

I swore mentally. He was waking emotions within me, emotions I had to forget.

"So this way to talk works" I concluded. "So if you don't mind, I'd rather have my sleep."

"Not so fast" he stopped me. "What are you up to, Sasuke?"

I wanted to say 'nothing', but I assumed even he isn't dumb enough to believe me after our previous conversation.

"Whatever I plan, that's none of your business."

"That's all my business, Sasuke."

"Why?"

"Because I care, you bastard! I don't want you to do something stupid!"

"I'm not going to die that soon."

"I don't mean dying" he huffed.

"So why do you bother?"

"Because I care about you, Teme. Not your damn chakra that keeps me 'alive' but you as a person."

"Don't sweet talk me, Usuratonkachi" I used his other nickname and just as I suspected, he flinched upon hearing it. "You know it doesn't work on me."

"Sasuke… please tell me. Do this for me. I need to know."

"You need to know nothing."

"Why are you so stubborn? Why won't you talk to me even now, when I'm basically harmless to anything you wanna do?"

"Because, Naruto, unlike you, I don't care. And I don't give a shit if you do and why do you do."

And with that I hid the chakra and he disappeared from my sight and hearing.

-:-

"I underestimated you, Uchiha, but that won't happen again" said Tsunade, when she came in the morning with new set of chakra-draining bracelets. "I don't know what you used to get rid of that collar, but this time I'll adjust those to work with your infected chakra case."

Infected chakra, interesting.

"Hn."

I allowed her to do as she wished.

"I want to visit my family's sanctuary" I said. "I hope I have that right."

"You do" she replied quietly.

"I need to do this alone, without your ANBU following me. I think I've proven already I'm not here to slaughter Konoha's people."

She thought for a moment and then nodded. "Fine. How much time do you need?"

"Two hours will be enough." Or so I hoped.

"Fine. Don't move now."

She closed her eyes and began checking up on my chakra with her medical ways. Bracelets began itching me, but luckily she was done before it drove me crazy.

"You can go now. I'll dismiss the guards."

"Hn."

-:-

When I walked into Uchiha compound I activated my Sharingan, checking for any hidden ANBU in case Hokage decided to play a game of her own. But I found none.

I walked into the main house, the one I used to live in and went straight to the one particular room. There was a seal on the door, but it was weakened over time and I could remove it years ago. It was here more for my own comfort.

I broke it with ease even having not much more chakra than a mere genin has. Inside everything was covered in dust, but I doubted my own room looked much better.

I took a deep breath. I could do this without drowning in all memories.

I had to.

I had my goals and nothing could stand in my way.

After a quick search I found the key I was looking for. I remembered all three places in here where he used to hide it.

But as a child I was never brave enough to rummage through my older brother's room in search of secret keys.

Just like I never went further underground the complex, even though I've seen him going there once in a while.

"Curiosity killed the cat, otouto" he said to me when I asked him what is there. "But I'll tell you this one time – there's a library in there. With books for my studies. I don't think that's what you want to see."

And back then it wasn't. Common library we had in the house was more than enough for a needs of a child, even child like me.

But now there was nothing I needed more. I found a stairs leading downwards and got to the underground complex of rooms and chambers where the whole family gathered various stuff. It was all thoroughly searched through during the investigation after massacre, but there was always one room no one but Itachi himself could enter.

Almost no one.

I walked through winding corridors and reached the door with another seal on it. This one way more powerful than the one Konoha ninja's put on room's door.

I guess this one was speciality of Akatsuki. And after what I heard about one called Hidan I was almost sure it was his own technique.

I pulled out a knife I found upstairs and sliced through my hand. Quickly, before Kyuubi's chakra could heal the wound, I placed in on the door and muttered words I found few years back. The blood, same as my brother's, flew down the stone surface.

The door opened.

If only I knew about it all, if only I saw it before they all died, everything could be different.

'I was seven. I couldn't have known. He was my beloved brother.' I told myself once again, but the guilt would never be fully gone.

Not even when Itachi dies by my hand.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

I couldn't find Sasuke in the morning, even though I've run around whole Konoha searching. But there was no sight of him. I felt no warmth of his, but seeing that it radiated only when I was close enough to see him mostly, that didn't mean he ran off again.

So I decided to just go back to the room and wait for him. But still I couldn't say I was particularly calm. I had to watch him all the time, he was planning something, I knew it, and yet I left him alone! 'I really am an idiot' I concluded as I did often these days.

When he came back I felt relieved. He carried some scroll with him, which he began to read immediately he closed the door and sat on the bed. I walked over and tried to take a peek over his shoulder.

It was definitely some kind of jutsu. But way more complicated than any I saw and you could just as well ask me to read ancient runes.

I waved my hand through his shoulder and he shivered.

"It's you?" he asked. "If you want to talk do it again."

I did.

He nodded and conjured some chakra around his hand for me to use.

"It works even with bands?"

"They just as strong as they can be without making me faint. And that's too weak to drain me" he said.

What was weird he replied on his own free will with full sentence and calm voice, without tint of annoyance.

"What is this?" I asked pointing with my freehand at the scroll on his knees.

"That's the jutsu I can cast on myself" he said. "It will allow us to separate and let me live my life again the way I need it."

That answer stunned me. I wasn't expecting something like that. Where he got that from?

"And you will live through it?"

"I will" he answered.

There was a moment of silence. I had to ask the next question, and he seemed to know it already judging by the way he was looking at me.

"Will I?" the whispered inquiry left my lips.

"It's a lottery. Maybe you will… maybe you won't. I'm sorry. But I have to do it."

I closed my eyes. Lottery.

Tell that to the person who had all the bad luck the world had to offer.

"I see…" I said, I felt like my throat was going to clench and let no more words out. "Sasuke… can you wait one more day, please? In case… it kills me… I want to say goodbye to the world."

"I can." How could he say that so emotionlessly? So blankly like that didn't matter at all?

Or maybe it really didn't.

I moved away few steps and disappeared from before his eyes.

I understood him, but I hurt. More than ever. Just as they say, the only ones able to cut you real deep are those you love the most.

"I will always love you, bastard" I said silently. "No matter what you do."


	16. Shared

**A/N: **Hello. Another chapter out!

This time it's beta'ed, courtesy of JadeOokami. /big hugs.

Today someone told me this story got copied onto a page named FanLib… And I know I'm not the only author having troubles with plagiarists. Sucky. But anyway, this thing here is original and I hope you enjoy the new chappie! :)

**D****ISCLAIMER, so it's clear: **I don't own Naruto, but I DO own the plot for this story.

* * *

**-Chapter ****Sixteen-**

_- __Shared –_

**Sasuke's POV**

Wherever he is, he is away from here. This time I am truly alone. I look at the lone grave under cherry blossom tree, even though I know it should be elsewhere, along with his father's. But till the day he died no one told him who he really was.

Countless flowers adore the place and hang from the tree, I smell their mixed aroma and think if that's what he wants to say goodbye to.

Since I was seven I never thought I loved or even liked my life. I don't mind dying, as long as I take my brother with me. I wonder if I knew that I'm living my very last day, would I regret passing away? Would I like to stay and finally appreciate what world has to offer other than revenge?

I envy him. I envy him this day, I envy him every day he lived, while I tried to distance myself in order to gain the power and strength to kill.

In all the bad luck he indisputably had, he is a lucky one. He knew how to live for joy and happiness, not only satisfaction. I always respected that in him and I still do.

He should get so much more from the life, but just kept proving that all that Karma is nothing but piece of bullshit. After all the good he has done, one could suspect he should win his little heaven on Earth.

He never did.

I sat leaning on the tree and watching the grave in silence. I had about an hour again, but I felt that this time ANBU will have to come and carry me back to my room, because I had no intention of leaving soon.

Time was passing in silence, when I suddenly felt that familiar feeling. He was here, beside me.

It was time.

I lit the chakra and saw him the moment he dipped his hand in it.

**Naruto's POV**

None of us cared that someone could come and see him talking to the apparition. I kneeled beside him to meet his level and looked into those black eyes of his I could hardly decipher.

I knew this was out final goodbye, he was last person I'll see and talk to.

That moment I thought that it maybe was really some play of destiny, which decided to reward me finally. I remembered my "last wish", when I lied on the altar with Akatsuki – I wanted to see Sasuke one more time.

And there he was. Not only did I see him, but I talked to him, watched him for hours, and brought him back to Konoha, although in a way I would never foresee.

Of course, he could leave. And I felt that he will, with me long gone from this world, but I loved to know he had come here in peace once again.

"I'm as ready as I can be" I told him and smiled.

**Sasuke's POV**

"Why don't you yell? Why don't you try to change my mind, blubber about all the crap you can and do everything in your power to save yourself, idiot?" I asked him.

He smiled at me but I knew well he wants to live and he wants it badly. So why did he do nothing to change his fate? He never had trouble trying to convince people of things, he never had troubles being stubborn. Just the opposite.

And he would die to bring me home, but he wouldn't argue to save himself?

This time he made absolutely no sense to me, and not in the moronic way he used to.

"Because I respect your right to live your life the way you wish, Sasuke" he said, smile never fading. I saw the sadness in his eyes. Somehow it was hard for me to look through them just like I gazed through the rest of his phantom body. "I shiver when I imagine living aware of the foreign presence following you around wherever you go, seeing things you'd rather keep for yourself. And I guess you, above all, have secrets you'd like to stay secrets. I know what you thought, Sasuke. You thought that I have means to contact the world and I would do this, if I knew of wrong plans of yours. And you're probably right, I might do it, because I care too much to let them be."

"So you agree to be killed because that's more convenient to me?"

"No. I do because it's important to you to reach your goal. And that makes it important to me. And that's the truth, Teme, no sweet talking this time," he grinned. "I've never asked you, I had no right to do this to you. I've had my life on fair conditions, you have the right to live yours the same way."

**Naruto's POV**

I kept smiling, but I was scared to death. Here we were, under that beautiful tree that Sakura insisted on burying me under. The sky was red for it was in the middle of sunset, and I couldn't help but think how I would be dying along with the day.

I decided that if I were going to die, that's how I wanted it. In the place mirroring the beauty I cherished in this world, with my best friend in front of me.

But the problem was, I wasn't ready to die yet. Even carrying this weird existence was better than leaving, when I felt there's still so much awaiting me. Still so much I've missed.

I wanted to live… I wanted to live so badly!

"Sasuke…" I whispered to him, feeling that I cannot take it much longer, the smile plastered to my face suddenly seemed so false. I felt that the moment he does it, I'll be gone. The lottery will be lost. And I was never wrong when it came to my intuition. "Sasuke… how big of a chance do I have to live? How long will it take anyway?" I asked, I had to prepare mentally, last thing I wanted him to remember me for was cowardice.

"It would take about quarter an hour" he said.

'It would take eternity' I thought. I remembered dying once, and time was a relative thing.

"But your chances are small."

"I know. I feel I won't make it."

"I know you won't. You're too big of a dobe."

And what did that mean? I raised my eyebrows in question.

"I'll live" he said, and closed his eyes. "And you will too. With a promise of mine, that I'll never change my mind. You had enough of world's cruelty, I don't need to throw in my share."

I blinked at him, his words not fully sunk in. "Sasuke?"

But he just closed the chakra channel, got up, and walked away.

-:-

**No POV**

Kabuto walked into the chamber carrying a pile of papers and found Orochimaru sitting behind the table, his eyes stuck on the dish.

"Orochimaru-sama, are you feeling alright?" he asked, walking closer and scrutinizing his master.

"Yes," he looked up at his head medic and smiled. "Come sit," he pointed towards the chair with an open hand, long fingers running through Kabuto's hair when he sat down. "So three weeks at most, isn't it?"

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama," replied Kabuto, fixing his glasses and spreading the papers on the table. "Do you wish to take an action already?"

"No, not yet. I believe he may come back on his own accord."

"He was seen going in the direction of Konoha. Too bad, that since Tsunade is the Hokage, no spy of Sound managed to get into and infiltrate the village."

"Too bad, indeed. But Kabuto, Sasuke-kun isn't loyal to Konoha anymore. I know him well, and believe me, sooner or later he'll be done with whatever is keeping him there and we'll take an action suitable for circumstances."

Kabuto nodded and smiled, finding the sheet he was looking for. "Here…" he placed it in the middle. "Those are latest results of the experiments on bijuu matter. I think if I had a month more I could make the insertion process perfect and safe, especially in such strong body as Sasuke-kun's."

"I see. How many subjects died this time?"

"Here's the record" Kabuto said passing a chart to Orochimaru, who nodded in appreciation.

After a moment of silence, Kabuto stood up. "So it's granted, I will be honored to serve you the way we agreed, Orochimaru-sama?"

Orochimaru looked up from the sheet and met Kabuto's eyes. "Yes" he said and slowly stood up as well, nearing the silver-haired man and trailing his neck with the snaky moves. "But it's a pity the one who's this close to me must be my most talented, head medic."

* * *

**A/N: **I think the best advantage of first person's POV is that it's easy to avoid distinguishing people all the time using cliché descriptions (eyes, hair, height). Those are pain in the ass.

[outdated] Review please!


	17. Life for a Life

**A/N: **Heya. At frist - great thanks to JadeOokami for beta'ing this story!

Then yay for Tilos' Mayor. A man who can think for himself :)

As I promised, the chapter is longer than the last time, though it's not really long. But 20 is not far away, and hm, I'll try to fit some special event in it: I never thought this fic would be as long but it seems it will go way above 20 chapters xD I hope you'll bare with me this long, I love your support guys!

* * *

**-Chapter Seventeen-**

_- Life for a Life–_

**Sasuke's POV**

I lied on the bed, eyes closed, thinking over every consequence of my choice. I knew that allowing him to live may be a great hindrance on my way, if he found a really troublesome way to put a spoke in my wheel, all my plans could get ruined, because everything I planned was based on the details and I had to rely on the small things to achieve the great ones. And even if he couldn't screw up the big ones I had prepared, he could mess with those little ones and therefore lead to my defeat.

I knew it well all along, and yet when I looked into his eyes I couldn't force myself to take his life away, or what was left of it. I was telling myself he died, he's no longer alive and he'll never be and I'll just fix the mistake of a nature that let the dead stay alive, but it was all in vain. No logical explanation was right in his case, and no matter how dead he was, using that jutsu would kill him.

And I simply couldn't. For whatever reason.

But after thinking for a while, even worse thought came to my mind than having my own plans ruined.

Akatsuki.

I was no fool to think that they'll leave alone the remnants of the power they seek for. And nothing more certain than the fact, that if they caught him to finish what they started in some way, he'd wish he died by my hand.

And that thought made me uneasy. I once again saw him screaming in pain, begging for a quick demise, yet none was coming. If I knew anything about rituals like that, it was that they take time. And every passing second brings more pain to the subject.

Fuck.

Why couldn't I just fucking stop careing?

I sat up straight on the bed and rubbed my eyes. I knew I had to do something to prevent that death, or I will blame myself for letting him live in the first place. I wasn't sure whether I could carry on sane if I added another death and torment to the list of things I blame myself for.

I had a family no more, and I would if I did something that day. If I had foreseen my brothers mad intentions, they would all be alive now.

Who would I be if those events went in the other direction?

Who will I become if I let that idiot die now?

Honestly, I had no wish to discover.

But life taught me that no prize comes without price. And to have Akatsuki leave the spirit alone I would to have pay a tremendous price.

One part I knew already – my whole scheme to use the contact with them to lead me to Itachi and the best way to get the world rid of him was shattered into pieces.

Suddenly I felt him giving me a sign of his presence.

I sighed.

"What do you want?"

I saw him floating over the bed, legs crossed as if he was trying to sit.

"I want to thank you," he said. "I want you to know how damn happy I am, Sasuke." There came the smile.

"Don't."

"Why are you so damn afraid of any emotions?" he asked scowling at me.

"I'm not afraid of emotions."

"Hell you're not, bastard. You keep running from them every time. You keep closing yourself. Stop it, let me thank you, I know how much it costs you."

I glared at him angrily. Was that why he had to interrupt me?

"I know what you're trying to do. It won't work, so leave it. Enjoy your after life, while I'll mind my own business."

"Don't delude yourself, Sasuke. You cannot ignore everyone around you, dattebayo!"

"Wanna bet? I can ignore even you. And if you don't stop trying to 'open my eyes and make me feel alive' I'll make you want to feel dead."

"I don't think you can do anything do the spirit, Teme" he grinned widely and made a move that looked like he was trying to pat me on the head. What the fuck?

"I can enjoy everything you can't right in front of your eyes. And keep my chakra low enough so you won't be able to materialize. I have the power over you, and you'd better embrace it."

He looked me in the eye, like he was torn between two choices of what to do or say, but finally he seemed to pick neither, all I got in response was that warmth in his blue eyes. I think it was a first time I really looked into them while not in the middle of fight.

Sakura was right, there was no way he could be mistaken for anyone else even if he tried, "And that's why he was even more useless as a ninja."

Said the girl with pink hair.

"Hey Sasuke," he said suddenly.

"You're going to Sound" I spilled.

"What?" he blinked at me.

"I said you're going to spy on Orochimaru."

"Wait! Do you read my mind now or something?! Cause that would suck, dattebayo!"

"Shut up idiot, I didn't read your mind." That would be the nail in my coffin. "I may need information about his plans concerning Jinchuuriki. And you're going to pay me back by getting to know those."

"Orochimaru and Jinchuuriki? What the hell?" he frowned.

"When I was leaving, Kabuto was doing some research in that matter. Orochimaru told me no more than I'll be thrilled when I'll give him my body and Kabuto finishes his plans. He loves to give me surprises."

"I'll go, of course, Teme, but… I need to know one thing before I do."

"And that is?"

"How much time is there left before he has to take your body?"

I wondered if I should lie or tell him the truth.

"About three weeks" I said. Lying to him while on his way to Sound would be rather pointless.

"Three weeks?! And… will you agree to give in to him?"

"I don't know" I admitted.

"What do you mean that you don't know Teme?!" he hollered. I hoped no one heard it or I'd have some explaining to do.

"Maybe that I don't know?" I suggested. "And keep your voice down."

"You mean that there's still a chance you'll go back and sell your body for power?!"

I glared at him. "Pick better words, if you don't mind" I snapped. "And yes, that's what I may choose to do. I have a revenge to fulfil."

"That's out of question! What is the other option?" I swear I saw the steam going of his nose and he disappeared for a second when he had thrown his hands up in the air.

'You don't want to know' I thought, but deemed it better to leave that information for myself.

"When you bring me news from Sound, I'll tell you," I said. "By that time, there may be no other option."

"There has to be! Sasuke, please, you can't let that happen!"

"I can and I will if necessary. Now leave. Time is running and you wanted to be useful."

He threw me a fierce glare. "Why can't you find the other way in all your genious?" he spat.

"Because any other way is a way you'd hate even more. And so would I."

"That's bullshit, Teme, there's nothing worse than giving up your body to a gross snake like him."

I smirked. "I bet there is. Hopefully I don't know any as of yet."

And with that I cut the communication.

-:-

Next few days passed in silence. From what I've heard, Kakashi took Sakura away to some normal village, cause she suffered from strong depression and needed peace and rest. When I saw her she tried to be strong, she didn't let me see his death was that hard on her.

I knew I could tell them all the truth about it, but Sakura's well being wasn't enough to convince me to risk anything more than I already have.

I was thinking of the way to contact Akatsuki when he was back, there was a chance that for the information he'll bring they'll let him be.

But truth to be told, that chance was really slight.

I wondered what they'd want me to do, but I was sure they'll think of something special.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

When I finally saw Konoha I felt relieved. Spending a few days out there, in Oto, made me feel sick to the point I was puking with my imagined vomit. But luckily my ninja instincts kicked in quite soon and I managed to look at the matter with a professional eye, treating all this as if it was a mission I was on for Tsunade-baa-chan.

I ran quickly to Sasuke, praying on the way he was still there and it wasn't just a trick from his side to send me away while he ran away.

To my relief I found him laying on the bed, thumbing the book, with a look of utter boredom on his face. Seems like Baa-chan still hadn't given up on his collar and bracers, not that I minded.

I floated over to him and brushed his face. I loved to see this alert in his eyes and shivers running through him whole. I thought it would never get old to take the bastard by surprise.

He looked up and I saw him readying the chakra for me.

"Oi, back already?" he asked.

"Kabuto spends whole days on this Jinchuuriki project, I didn't need to look longer for information."

He smirked. I just saw it in his eyes how he suddenly began to LOVE the perspective of having a ghost spy around. That bastard!

"Good," he said. "Tell me what you've learnt."

I told him that if he goes back to Orochimaru not only will he have that snake inside his body, but probably he'll find a way to stick the bijuu in as well.

"That would mean a hella lot of power," he said, looking deep in thought.

My jaw dropped to the ground.

"WHAT?!" I was sure that would at least make him rethink his idiotic decision!

"Power, dobe. You should know it best."

"The only thing I know best about having a demon inside you is that it's a pain in the ass!"

**Kit?**

'Uh, sorry!' I rubbed the back of my head reflexively. 'I didn't mean you!'

Kami, I can't believe I could say something just as moronic. Who else could I mean?

But in my defence, my mind was occupied with other thoughts!

"You were never meant for it," he said and rolled over to his back, leaving it to me to follow his glowing hand.

"Don't tell me that because of what I told you, you're going to more likely choose Orochimaru… please, Sasuke."

He tilted his head to the side and looked at me.

"At this moment I can't tell you anything about my plans, for I don't know them myself."

I nodded and sighed.

"By the way, aren't you more talkative now?"

"Communicative" he replied. I wanted to ask him one more thing.

"Why won't you call me by my name anymore? You did it once and once only. Why?"

"Because you need no name, idiot."

"You don't call me dobe often either. Why?" I insisted.

He lowered his eyes. I knew I touched some sensitive topic. But I needed to know. "Back then, over my dead body, you were telling me that you promised yourself to never say it, never think of it even, ever again. But now you can't forget about me. You can't. You're the only one binding me to the real world and if you forgot about me and began to ignore me, I'd rather die. You won't, right?" I knew there was a desperation ringing in my voice but now that I thought of it, it scared me.

"I won't," he said quietly.

I smiled and couldn't help but try to touch his shoulder the way I would if we were both physical. "So why can't you call me by my name now? Please do, Sasuke. Do it. Now."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because… no."

And he quenched the chakra.

I didn't realize it was getting so dark already. I looked at the window and saw a black crow sitting on the opened windowsill. To it's leg, there was tied a little roll of paper.

The crow? With the message?

And then I put two and two together.

* * *

**A/N:** Next chapter's title - Playing with Fire. And I don't mean the crow. **[5yl: what? xP]**


	18. Playing With Fire

**A/N: **Hello. Congratulate me. I managed to trip four times on smooth, plain road today. Seems like the air was too thick :x

**[SPOILERS jeez. What was I thinking?]**

Thanks for the JadeOokami for beta'ing :) Anyway, onto the story.

**NOTE: **Kaa-san means mother.

* * *

**-Chapter Eighteen-**

_- Playing With Fire–_

**Naruto's POV**

When Sasuke got ready to leave in the night, just as the note said, I decided to follow him this time. I couldn't comprehend or imagine what Itachi could possibly do to make him wish to meet him without readying a weapon to plunge through his intestines. It all looked more than bad to me, if Sasuke was willing to participate in any plans they were up to, that meant either he's offered enormous power or he's gone completely insane. But if it was about the power, then it would be unreasonable seeking it from the ones he was about to fight.

Once again he got rid of everything baa-chan thought would stop him and left, running silently like a shadow through the sleeping village and then silent forest. I guessed that's what he was doing when he last time came back, hair full of leaves. It was then he realized I can be around.

I was sure Akatsuki never gave him anything for free, not information like this. So what did he do?

He passed the lake and went deeper into the woods till he saw the teahouse. The lights were lit. Inside the small building, on the cushions, sat a blue-haired woman, sipping tea lazily.

Konan, they addressed her. I remembered her too.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes looking around, suspicious.

"He's not here," the woman said and showed him to a cushion and waiting cup.

Don't ask me why, but he believed her word and sat down, visibly relaxed. "What's with the crow?" he asked.

"Oh, just a little game of mine. I wanted to see if you'll come or rather try to burn me alive along with the tea-house. You've got to admit though, that would be a shame, wouldn't it?"

He raised an eyebrow. "If you say so."

"I mean the tea, of course. Surely I've found no better in whole country of fire."

"Hn."

They sat in silence for a moment and I swear if I had a body I would be shaking from anxiety. He was thinking about something he wanted to say or ask, I could see it in his eyes, slightly narrowed in a Sasuke-thinking way.

And she was waiting, I think she saw that too.

"What are you planning to do with the remnants of Kyuubi and the vessel?" he suddenly broke the silence.

He meant with me. Us. What were they going to do to us? Could they still have some effect even though we were kinda not here anymore? I felt nervous.

"What do you think we can be planning?" she answered with another question. He hated it and she did it on purpose.

"Mend it with the rest."

"Bravo. That's what would be of best profit for the Akatsuki, indeed," she took another sip of the wild rose tea.

"Are you able to do it?"

"We might. Remember our deal, Sasuke? You owe me anything you've learnt about that spirit."

And he told her everything. I couldn't believe it… did he spare my life just to let them take it away now?

"You really do keep your word once given, don't you?"

"I do" he admitted. "My promise is kept, now you tell me, what do you want of me to desist from the mending plans."

She smiled. "Why do you think there is a thing that could make us forget about the Kyuubi?"

"Ask yourself, Konan, and answer me," his voice was cold and biting. He looked as if he was afraid of what she can demand.

But I understood one thing – he wanted to save me. Even if it meant working for the Akatsuki.

Was he insane?

"You won't like the answer" she told him.

"I know that."

"Then why are you willing to save that vessel? I don't think you pity whatever is left of the Kyuubi."

"Call it a debt."

Debt? What debt? What was he talking about now?

"You'll have to choose between two of those then. If you're willing to pay back the vessel, you'll have to forgive what you promised your deceased family."

I saw him tense. "What?" he asked weakly.

"Forget about your revenge, Sasuke. Leave your brother alone and as long as you do so, the Jinchuuriki of yours will be safe. Look at this." she handed him a scroll laying beside few bottles of wine.

He opened it and I looked inside. It was another complicated jutsu, but he seemed to understand it just fine, since his scowl was deepening along with eyes running quickly over the signs.

"It's finished and it will work. Itachi will be able to perform it before you say'"Chidori.' It's a fair deal, a life for a life."

It wasn't a fair deal. It's wasn't just a spared life for another one. Even if Itachi and I will live, I knew that for Sasuke betraying his family and giving up on the revenge was almost like dying.

He couldn't agree. He wouldn't agree.

"Fine" he said.

He agreed.

What?

"Sasuke-teme!" I yelled instinctively. He said 'fine' and forgot about the thing he gave up EVERYTHING for? That didn't make sense!

"So you agree? Need no time to think it through?" she asked.

"No." came the answer. He passed her the scroll. "But if you'll break your part of a deal, I'll give you hell."

"There won't be need for it. As long as we both get what we want, it's best for us to play fair."

Fair my ass.

Sasuke closed his eyes. Decision was made.

And I wanted to hear no more.

I left the teahouse and found my way back to Konoha. I had to think.

I wanted him to be happy and there he was, sacrificing his happiness for me.

Even though he hated me.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

That wasn't the best time to think over my decision. I knew I've done it on impulse, I knew it was something I would never forgive myself for. But would my conscience be pure if I chose otherwise?

Konan was looking at me thoughtfully. I could feel her gaze resting on me, but all I really saw was the dim light of a candle on the table. My thoughts began to wander away from the deal, into the things that never crossed my mind before.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked suddenly breaking my trail of thought. "Finding a way to circumvent our agreement?"

"No" I answered truthfully. I might be conceited, but I was never stupid. Outsmarting the whole Akatsuki wasn't an option. I wasn't the only genious walking this world after all.

"But indeed, I am planning something," I threw the bait. I wondered if she'd catch it. I was sure she would be curious, but still, a woman like her should be able to resist such primitive feeling like curiosity.

But on the other hand, why resist something you can have?

I decided I needed to know more about Akatsuki plans, and if she would be willing to play with me, I'll have what I want.

Uchiha's always get what they want. Unfortunately.

"And what could that be?" she asked leaning on the low table and narrowing her eyes. Whether this was because of the closeness of the fire, or to escalate the effect, I didn't know.

"And why should I tell you?"

"You've got me curious, Uchiha."

So she was willing to participate. I knew that she knew that I knew that she'd know that I'm offering her a game of sorts.

"Tell me" she inquired. "What are you planning now?"

As our little chat went, the plan that came into my mind a mere while ago was getting crystal clear with every passing second.

"Share with me the closest Akatsuki's movement and I'll answer your question."

She snorted. "You know I can't tell you that."

"Then you know I won't tell you what you want to hear."

She turned around and reached for the bottle of wine and poured some in my glass. "Have some," she said. "It's really good one."

I took the bottle and poured some for her. If that's the way she wanted to play it, fine.

"I bet it is," I said and drank mine. She got the message and followed my suit.

She moved a little closer to me and picked up the bottle.

"Your perfume smells nice," I noticed. She smiled. "I'll do it," I said and took the wine from her.

"You're playing with fire, Sasuke," she whispered.

"Then burn me. I never back away."

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

He came back to Konoha while the dawn was still unseen. He looked worse than last time. What was he doing in that forest? Chasing squirrels in the trees? He passed the gate as if he was a ghost, but he didn't follow the usual road leading to his home in Hokage's building. The road he took was a straight path to the old Uchiha compound.

Why was it his direction?

I floated behind him as he opened the door with the key he still had on the strap around his neck. I watched him walk around the house, throwing meters of dust up. He coughed from all the mess in the forgotten residence. I touched him lightly, wanting to ask why is he here.

And I needed to talk to him badly about everything that happened earlier.

But he ignored me, and just walked forward to the back corridor of the house.

I remembered this way. One day when the investigation about the death of the Uchiha family was in the process, I watched ANBU through the window.

He was heading straight into the room where his parents were murdered.

Why?

"Sasuke!" I waved my hand through him. "Talk to me."

He shivered and looked back but other than that there was no sign he even knew it's me calling to him.

He found the door he was looking for and stopped. For a moment he hesitated with his hand on the doorknob. I couldn't imagine what he had to feel to face the very place where his horror started, the place where he saw his own brother with a sword drenched in the blood of his parents.

Laying dead right before his eyes.

But he was strong. He pushed the door open and walked inside. He walked over to the opposite wall and sat down, leaning on it.

"Leave." he said.

But I couldn't make myself move. I was worried. I knew he wasn't stable since he got back from Oto. I couldn't risk leaving him alone in a place like this. If something happened, I would never forgive myself. Right now I knew I could to things. I could stop him from doing anything fatal.

He waited a moment before speaking. I think he was sure that I had enough decency to leave when he asked. I wish decency was my only problem right then.

"Mother… father…" he began silently. "I don't know if I did a right thing."

He paused for the long moment and I ceased to breath, as if he could hear me.

"I promised you revenge and I swore to do anything that needs to be done in order to achieve this goal. And today… I did the unforgivable. I agreed to let your death be left forgotten and unrevenged. Itachi is still among the living and he is not going to die by my hand. I'm sorry."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, coughing the dust again.

"I can see only one ghost, but right now I'd give both my arms to be able to hear you both. I know I couldn't choose otherwise. Maybe not entirely, but Uzumaki is still alive, he still wants to live. And everything you ever taught me, mother, was that life is more important than death. And so I protect it, even if it costs the dead. Costs you."

Then he lied down, looking into the window, hardly letting any light in through the dirt-dimmed surface.

"And I can't allow another good person die by Itachi's hand."

With that he fell asleep.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

I woke up in the room where my parents died, but I felt more presences around me. Suddenly I realized my eyes were still closed. I opened them and saw the world covered with red fog. I stood up and looked around me searching for the source of the chakra signatures.

"Sasuke," I heard the woman's voice. I couldn't see her through all the mist, but then I heard the footsteps and a dark silhouette became visible.

The wind blew and the mist spread, revealing her to my eyes.

It was my mother. My beloved mother standing right before me, in flesh and bone.

"Kaa-san?" I heard my voice shake. "Kaa-san, you're dead."

"Do I look dead to you?" she chuckled lightly and smiled that warmest smile a child could know.

"I… I thought… Are you mad with me? Please don't tell me you're mad with me! I had to agree, I had to do this so they wouldn't kill and torture him again! Please, forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive you for, Sasuke," she brushed my cheek like she used to all those years ago. "There is nothing to forgive when someone does the right thing."

And then she melted into mist.

-:-

I woke up again, my heart pounding wildly. It was just a dream. They were dead. They were still dead. I hid my face in hands. Was it a message she was trying to send to me from the land of the dead? Or was it just my sub-consciousness trying to calm my conscience?

Suddenly the door burst open and the moment I spun around I saw the trail of orange tumbling inside.

"Sasuke-teme!"

It was Naruto. He waved at me and grinned, blue eyes sparkling in the bright light of a day.

And then he screamed. I tried to move but something was holding me back. What the fuck!

"Naruto!" I yelled.

And then I saw the blood spurting from the wound on the left side of his chest.

"Naruto!"

"Sasuke…" the grin was gone, the shine in his eyes was gone.

All I saw was the katana, when he fell down on the ground into the puddle of his blood. There was no one behind him, but I recognized this sword.

I recognized it too well. I saw it plunging through the bodies of my parents, of my family.

And now through him.

"NARUTO! NO!" I hollered and jerked at my restraints. They gave up with loud snap and I ran over to him.

"Naruto, Naruto wake up! Wake up you idiot!" I shook him.

He opened his eyes and looked at me. "Sasuke…" he smiled gently. "I finally caught up to you, Teme. Just like I promised Sakura-chan and myself…"

"Naruto don't you die on me! Don't you dare!"

But he died. I saw his eyes close and his head fell limp in my hands.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

When his eyes shot open, I realized he was covered in sweat and his face was wet with tears. He had a nightmare? I didn't notice anything, he had laid unmoving the whole time.

I moved to him and touched him gently. I wanted him to know that I'm here if he needed to talk.

"Dobe" his voice broke the silence.

My hand retreated immediately.

"No" he said. "Stay." I hesitated. I wasn't going anywhere. "Stay close…" I heard him whisper.

I touched him again and he closed his eyes.

Whatever he was dreaming about… this place… it must have brought all the memories.

So it's not true that time heals all the wounds, after all.

I laid down beside him and hugged him, as much as a ghost can hug. He was still crying. I heard the quiet sound of drops falling onto the wooden floor. But he was calming down.

And I really wasn't going anywhere.

* * *

**A/N:** [**and more bloody spoilers! BEGONE, evil things**] Review please!


	19. Trick or Cheat

**A/N: [outdated]** I screwed up the explanation again when it came to this scroll – it was a proof Konan showed to Sasuke that they indeed can harm Naruto in case he decided to chase his revenge anyway. She is not dumb, she knew she'll have to have a tough argument to convince him to forfeit the revenge and believe in her words. Mea culpa!

**[outdated]**

Thanks to JadeOokami for beta'ing!

* * *

**-Chapter Nineteen-**

_-Trick or Cheat–_

**Naruto's POV**

It was late in the morning when I sensed four chakra signatures nearing the Uchiha complex. Sasuke was still in his slumber and he looked really exhausted. Otherwise he wouldn't stay here when the dawn came. But I decided that no matter how much he wanted to sleep further, he'd rather not wake to see ANBU dragging him back to wherever.

I tug on his chakra. I assumed it would be a good way to wake him up and well, bingo. He shot up and looked around quickly getting his bearings and coming back to reality with his whole being.

"What?" he asked, rubbing his eye, still evidently only half alive.

I touched him, but all I got in reaction was second annoyed 'what'. I snorted. ANBU (I assumed those were ANBU judging by quite powerful signatures. And common sense. I doubted Tsunade-baa-chan would send anybody weaker to look for her dangerous traitor) were nearing. Well ,they will surely make him wake up finally.

But luckily for Sasuke he sobered a moment later and lit the chakra for me.

"Yes I know, 'what?!'" I forestalled his yelling. "Four ANBU or something is nearing the house. I just thought you'd like to know."

"Hn" he nodded and got up, brushing his hair with his fingers.

"Futile" I chuckled. "You still look like a scarecrow."

"Tch."

"What were you doing last night?" I asked.

He looked at me with weird spark in his eyes. What was that?

"So you didn't follow me?"

"Well I kinda did… at first but then… I hear what she wanted from you and… I left. You…"

"Shh," he waved his other hand at me and turned off my only bridge to the world of the living. So he didn't want to talk about his promise and obviously he didn't want to talk about last night. Figures.

I don't know why I even tried to pry. I shouldn't. What he agreed to do for me was enough and were I him, I'd rather not be reminded about it. Especially if I had problems understanding and showing emotions like his.

How could he live like that?

I was glad last night I could help him. And that under the whole nightmares influence he had it in himself to ask me for help in some way. I really wished he would break through those ice walls he built. I had a feeling that behind them, he still hurts.

And he hurts much more than those who show their pain to the world.

He walked out of the room and down the corridor to meet the newcomers. They just came in the front door and looked around the great hall.

"Here," said Sasuke, sparing them the trouble of searching.

I noticed they were all ready to incapacitate him, with all those sedating darts and ropes. He only smirked at their gear.

"Fools. If I were running, believe me, I wouldn't hide inside my own house."

Point taken. That moment I felt good. 'See, Kyuubi? There are other morons in the world too! You could be stuck with one of those.'

The fox only snorted and muttered something I couldn't exactly hear. That wasn't fair. He heard my thoughts and I couldn't even always hear him speaking!

Guess being an ancient demon has it's advantages over being a dead human.

Sasuke yawned. "You may go. I did nothing but came here to mourn my family. The night before was annual celebration of my family."

Good excuse. Bad acting. He really could bit this yawn for the sake of credibility.

Well, but as I said – morons and idiots were among us.

"Alright then," said one of the ANBU. I couldn't really tell if it was male or female. She-male was short and almost woman shaped, but lacked breasts. Voice was too thin for a man and too deep for a woman and I felt tempted to use some dirty trick to check the mysterious gender but I stopped myself. It wouldn't be fair to play pranks on the living while I had so much of advantage now! I grinned to myself.

Or maybe it just wasn't the best time. Oh the possibilities! I couldn't let those pass!

She-male hid her darts in her pocket and pointed towards the door. "But Hokage-sama wishes to see you anyway. You did get rid of your restraints last night and left without telling her."

'C'mon, how dumb can one be? Isn't it obvious he's lying? It's obvious even to me, for the sake of Kyuubi's ass!'

**Hey.**

'Che, well tell me it isn't?'

**It is, indeed, but I think that woman just wants to keep the Uchiha under control and you should know best he'd rather cooperate if he's not chained to a bed or a wall with iron cuffs.**

Well that was true. Acting like she doesn't realize he's not being totally honest with her, and letting him do his little things on his own was raising her chances in knowing more or less what he's up to.

Or so she thought.

I bet if she knew he met an AKATSUKI MEMBER she would change her tactic. But now I couldn't say a word.

And I knew that that bastard knew it too well. He didn't even have to worry now about being more reliable than my ghostly self. I began to wonder if he wasn't playing some great game full of scheming I couldn't crack, to make me do his biddings and in the end kill his brother anyway, probably on the way getting to rule both Akatsuki and Sound and enslaving the rest of the world.

Hm. Okay. I'm being a bit over-suspicious. But still, after what he gave up for me I couldn't tell anyone what he did.

"I want to take a shower first," he demanded.

"You'll have it later. Go now, or we'll all loose our heads. Or worse, knowing Godaime."

He sighed and followed them to the office, for once giving up. He really had to be tired and sleepy.

-:-

ANBU, assured that Sasuke had no intentions of going rampage and killing the Hokage, left him under the door to the office. I saw Kiba leaving it and he walked over Sasuke, sniffing the air.

"Either you're using woman perfume now or you feeding them all with bullshit, Uchiha," he said and Sasuke threw him a blank glance.

"You smell of dogs," he said. "Don't make me draw my own conclusions from that fact."

And with that he passed him, ignoring muttered comment from Kiba. I wondered, what if they had more time to spend as comrades? Could they like each other? Kiba wasn't all that different from me, same level of annoyance, if I may judge, so who knows? Damn that bastard for leaving and betraying. Not many could still find it in themselves to forgive his deeds.

When Sasuke came in he was almost physically hit by the fierce glare Baa-chan sent him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing exactly, Uchiha?!" she yelled, fuming. "You freed yourself again and left, not caring to say one word to me so I knew you were actually still in the village! That was the last thing I expected!"

'And right you were.'

"I am your prisoner no longer, Hokage-sama. You see for yourself that I'm staying in the walls of Konoha by my own free will and I wish not to be controlled at every minute."

"Who the hell told you you're not prisoner anymore?!"

"Broken restraints," he replied with a trademark smirk. Having fun again, huh? "But I think you'll oppose my freedom no more."

She frowned, hazel eyes sparkling wildly as if she was ready to jump on Sasuke any moment and tear him to bloodied shreds.

"And why is that?" she asked through gritted teeth.

He walked over to her desk pulling some piece of paper from his belt. He pointed at the envelope laying on her desk.

"Call for help?" he asked nonchalantly. "Jinchuuriki targeted and going to be taken in days?"

"And if that's true, then what?" she seemingly calmed down and sat back on her chair reaching for the envelope and pulling out the letter.

"They will move in eleven days from now. Kisame and Itachi, no one else. They're going to strike in the day light since that village has much stronger defenses during the night. They'd expect the attack in the cover of darkness."

Tsunade blinked at him a few times and her frown deepened.

"And how exactly do you got this information?"

"That's my business, Hokage-sama. Believe me, the source is reliable."

"And what's in this for you so you're sharing this with me? Pardon me, but I can't believe you're suddenly whole heart for Konoha and willing to help, probably rising or paying a lot to make it possible."

Yeah. I thoughtthe same. What had he given to her to get to know all their plans? Their deal wasn't about it, so he had to pay another price. And I bet if I asked him he wouldn't tell me. Duh.

"I want two things. One is obvious, and that's for what I've told you already. I want to go with the team assigned to this mission. Second matter requires your time. I want you to teach me how to store additional chakra in my body for later use. If you agree, I'll not only go for this mission to hunt Itachi, I'll go on Konoha behalf and therefore I'll do what's best for the case of rescuing the Jinchuuriki. Even if that costs me my opportunity to have my revenge."

'Gotcha!' So he was planning something bigger after all! I was sure, that at least for now, he's going to keep his promise given to Konan. And obviously he was going to get additional profit out of situation.

She pondered it for a moment and he waited patiently, triumph on his face. Of course she will agree. Itachi was powerful and if someone had a chance to win against him, it was Sasuke, with his own Sharingan and years of training in all those forbidden, wrong stuff Orochimaru taught him.

"Fine." she said. "Kakashi, Sakura, Sai and Ino will go too."

Sasuke stared at her. "Don't tell me SHE is… replacement for HIM?" he spat.

'Whaaa?'

Tsunade closed her eyes and sighed. "No, she's not. For some reason she begged me not to separate her from Sakura in the nearest future."

"Hn. When we're back I hope you'll keep your part of a deal."

"I will, as long as you keep yours. You're leaving in two days, when Kakashi is back with Sakura. Kakashi will be the leader. And don't you dare do anything to hurt her anymore. She suffered enough when you left, for whatever reason, and she suffered after Naruto died. I know you have great influence on her and that's what I fear. Keep your distance, Uchiha."

"I don't care, Tsunade," he said leaving the respectful name. "As long as I get what I want, you need not to worry about any of them."

"Is there anything you wouldn't do to get what you want?" she asked silently.

"There is not."

He turned around and left.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

I came back to my room. Tsunade seemed to accept the end of my imprisonment, I was free. Or at least she wanted me to think this.

Having knowledge of that chakra-storing technique of hers would maybe allow me to give enough to Naruto so he could be physical without me being out black. I noticed it was no more that big of a trouble to think or say his name, even though I still felt awkward hearing it either spoken aloud or in my own mind.

"Dobe," I called him and he let me know he's present. "I have to know if you can take enough chakra to have your body back without knocking me unconscious." I said. I had to count.

He touched the chakra in my hand waiting for him and I saw his transparent figure.

"Can it be possible?" I asked.

"For a second or so…" he replied.

"I don't mean a second. I mean longer."

"I… don't really know. Never took enough to try it, but Kyuubi really doubts it could work."

"Well, try it."

He looked a little unsure but I wasn't going to explain my plan to him right now.

"M'kay…"

He closed his eyes and began. "I'm… going to take it slower," he said, frowning in focus. "So maybe I'll control it better."

"Hn." I nodded.

I was starting to feel lightheaded. The world seemed brighter, like all the lights in the room were lit. I heard my blood again, speeding along with my heart beat, and that weird feeling began to overcome me.

"Naruto…" I whispered. "Naruto… look at me."

He opened his eyes, never stopping his draining. He was getting less and less transparent, I smiled seeing how his blue eyes sparkled in my brightened world.

"I can't stop it" he said. "I can slow it, but I can't stop it after one point. I passed it now."

"Doesn't matter," I said. I was weak already. I tried to stand up from the bed but I couldn't. I reached my hand up and touched his cheek lightly.

"Sasuke?" he asked. "Are you… alright?"

"Fine," I said quietly. "Just… don't close your eyes."

He didn't.

But I did, because in the next moment he crossed another point and from bright my world went black.

* * *

**A/N: [outdated info cut]**

And a question for you again – I noticed that majority of M-rated (not pregnancy ones) fictions end along with the lemon (T-rated - along with mentioned intimate night :p). I wonder how do you like it better – to cross this point somewhere along the plot and continue with possible consequences of it and whatever stuff it brings, or like people use to do – make it the best, satiating ending, leaving the reader red in the face and nose bleed/with warm fuzzy feeling? Review please and tell me, cause I'm curious!


	20. The End Justifies the Means

**A/N:** Hello. The question I posed at the end of the last chapter was rather out of my curiosity than for this story – I know where the lemons/black-screened bed scenes (:P) will be (or are possible). And if anyone wonders – Over My Dead Body won't end along with the first one. But it may end with an additional one… maybe.

Chapter 20, again longer :)

Thanks to JadeOokami for beta job!

**WARNINGS:** Fight scene! No "you-lack-skill" in comments on this one please, cause I know it too well already :(! But since this one will mean quite a lot, I think it would be best to write a few sentences about it. Even quite crappy ones. Practice makes perfect, so… onto the chapter.

Thanks to EienKohaku for listing me **[spoilAr!]**'s techniques!

* * *

**-Chapter Twenty****-**

_-The End Justifies the Means–_

**Naruto's POV**

"So that won't work," I said, when he woke up. It was deep into the night. "I can't stop myself in the right moment."

"Why?" he asked.

"Why? I don't know."

"How can you not know, idiot? You're the one who's dead and can't control himself."

"Che, wish you were in my place, smartass!" I snapped at him. "It's just I can't stop before I have enough chakra or I'll just blink."

"So I thought."

"If you're so clever, why do you keep asking me these questions?"

"Stop pouting, Dobe. I must know as many details I can."

"And what for?" I wanted to add something about his dealings with Akatsuki but I bit my tongue. Whatever they were, as long as I had no proof he didn't lie to them and truly renounced his revenge for me alone… I couldn't.

"To do something. Don't tell me you expected me to just agree with what happened and leave the matters as they are?"

"You kinda said it," I noticed.

"I said I wouldn't kill you nor do anything to bring you a demise. I never said I won't try to fix the matters."

Fix the matters?

"How are you going to do it?" I frowned. I thought it over for countless hours and no solution came to me. "I don't think you can just get more chakra like that."

"Think again."

"You're not about to do something crazy again, are you?" I couldn't think of anything, but he obviously had a plan. And if that plan involved Akatsuki or Orochimaru in any way, there was no way I could make it up as well.

"Depends on who judges."

"Sasuke… by the way… how much time do you have left before Orochimaru has to take your body?"

"About three weeks. I've told you already, I am not going to give it up to him. I have no reason anymore… you know that."

That was nice to hear. I was afraid if he got some idiotic idea again he might change his mind about this matter.

"I know."

He still hurt because of the deal. There was moment of silence, but he didn't take his hand from me, so I could still talk. I wanted to ask him for something, but I was afraid of what he would answer. But I had to, finally.

"Please, can you reveal to others that I'm not dead? At least Team Kakashi, Tsunade-baa-chan and Iruka. I can't stand seeing them still mourning me."

"You are dead, Naruto," he said. "You may not pass to the other side, but you aren't alive anymore."

"That's no argument! They wouldn't mourn me being only half-dead!"

"That's not my point. Mind being silent for one minute?" he threw me a glare.

I grinned. He wasn't glaring much anymore, just like he wasn't smirking like he used to. Most of the time there was just an impassive look of I-don't-care, whatever or I'm-not-really-here-anyway. Seeing just a part of what Orochimaru's complex had to offer I didn't wonder why he has changed so much. But I promised myself I will make him go back to whom he was before. I just needed some time and no more evil disturbances. And I thought I could use Team 7 members help as well.

"Speak your mind then."

"If the mission goes as planned, I will have the means to allow you to take more chakra and stay conscious at the same time, hopefully, unaffected."

"I need lots of chakra, Sasuke, you should know that even storing it as Baa-chan does won't do big difference."

"That's just convenience. Plan is different."

I scowled. "I don't like when you plan something, to be honest. Last time you ended up with Orochimaru."

"Well, I hope I won't end up worse this time."

"Hope?! That means there's a possibility you will?!" I yelled, and wished I had my body to strangle him.

"There is always a possibility," he replied calmly.

"Yeah, there are, but you insist on tempting them to come true!"

"Because Uchiha's always get what they want. And right now, Naruto, I want to get you your physical form."

"Why would you do that?" I asked. "Don't tell me you suddenly care about me so much, because if you did, you wouldn't leave in first place!"

He closed his eyes. "What do you wish to hear, Naruto? I'll tell you that."

"Talk to me, Sasuke! Talk to me normally, talk to me, don't try to foresee my answers and don't try to foresee my actions. And don't think I will be satisfied with whatever shit you choose to tell me! I am not as naïve as I used to be anymore, don't try to play those games of yours with me. Why do you want to get me a physical form? Is this a part of a plot of yours?"

"You're babbling, Dobe. Yes, this is a part of my scheme for which I need you to have your body back for a longer periods of time. With me conscious."

"You're lying," I said.

"If you can tell the truth from a lie coming from me, why do you need to ask me so many questions?"

"Stop twisting my words!" I felt I was going to fume.

"Why? It's amusing," came the words, but no amusement followed any of them. His eyes opened and I gazed into black depths so… empty. I felt something clench inside me.

"Sasuke…" I couldn't find anything to say. I felt like my very essence froze under his look. It was same when he agreed to be tortured, when he laughed in the face of the interrogator. The same maddening hollow.

And I saw it in another pair of eyes before. I felt the crawling fear, beginning to overcome me. Memories struck me all at once, even if before Kyuubi helped me bury them deeper inside my mind.

"I…I…" I wanted to say something, say anything to make him look differently, to make him even pretend a feeling, but I couldn't. My mind went blank.

"Naruto? What happened?" I heard his voice coming to my ears, but the words made no sense. "Oi, Usuratonkachi, wake up!"

"I… I… I'm fine," I shook myself out of that state. I felt Kyuubi began to mess with my memory again. We agreed, that no matter what he won't erase anything permanently, but he'll push it deeper into my sub consciousness.

"What happened to you? Tell me," he demanded.

"Nothing important… It's nothing, just a memory of a nightmare."

"Nightmare? For Konoha's sake, Dobe, wake up and tell me what the hell is wrong with you?!"

He had worse. He lived through his memories, not illusions created to torture one's mind. I couldn't tell him, not now. Not ever. It was the past, I could bear my past.

What I couldn't bear was that I saw those eyes in him. They were dead just like his brother. Did his chase after that monster made him change into one?

"Sasuke… please…smile," I almost begged.

"What?"

"Smile. Just smile, once. For me. Please."

"What is it about, Dobe? What the hell happened, tell me at once!"

"Can't you do this one thing?" I asked. "Can't you smile anymore? Is that so hard?"

"It isn't, you're just making no sense."

"Smile and I will tell you everything. I promise. One smile."

He was looking at me as if I have gone crazy. Maybe I did, maybe I did. But if I did, I did because of him.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

He was gibbering, but in his eyes I saw fear. What could scare him so? All of a sudden? And why did he request me to smile? Why did he care so much?

He promised to tell me, and he never broke his promises before. I could do his bidding this once.

"You aren't smiling..." he said. "Your lips curve, but nothing reflects in your eyes."

"Stop this bullshit, Dobe."

At first I thought the memories of his death came to him, but why now? I wasn't there. And nothing happened here that could remind him of it at that very moment.

"You can't, can you?" he asked.

"I said stop this bullshit!"

"That's no bullshit, Sasuke," he said silently. "You are more dead than I am myself."

"What the hell, Naruto?"

"You have your body, but your soul…"

I growled. I felt tempted to shut the chakra channelling and make him silent, but that would be like I gave up, like I admitted he was right.

"I can smile when I have a reason. And I have no idea what idiocies are going through your head right now and I have no intention of knowing."

"When was the last time you had a reason then? A reason to really smile?"

"That's enough, this discussion is pointless and I don't have my full power yet. We can't talk much longer."

"Then tell me one more thing…"

"Well ask," I urged him.

"Why didn't you want me to close my eyes before? Why did you stroke my cheek?"

I felt my heart speeding up it's beat. "I had to check something. See how it works."

"Your gaze was different. What were you feeling?"

What was I feeling? I wish I knew.

"It messed with my mind," I told the truth. "I could hardly think, I barely remembered what I wanted to do."

Followed by a lie.

"Messed with your mind?"

"Yes. I know that if I had strength, I would have no control over myself. When we try it next time, I want you to remember you can render me unconscious every moment. If I try to hurt you, do it."

"You wanted to attack me?"

"I don't know what I wanted. I know, I can do something wrong and do you harm. Defend yourself. You needn't hurt no more."

"I'll keep all sharp items away from you," he said. His eyes brightened. Whatever overcame him was gone now. "And maybe you could let Sakura-chan be here as well?" he asked with hope in his voice. "She'll incapacitate you in a blink of an eye should you try to Chidori me or something."

"Fine, it will be best if she comes."

Even if it wasn't Chidoring the idiot I was afraid of.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

The morning the team was going for a mission was a rainy one. Was it a bad omen? According to calculations they should meet with Itachi and Kisame in two or three days. I had no doubts that they'd indeed meet with them. Sasuke would not lead them and himself by false lead and surely he would know if Konan lied to him. As much as I hated the idea he was contacting one of my killers, I preferred him talking to her and killing Kisame than letting that monster live.

I don't know if what I felt was really hatred. I wasn't sure I was able to hate at all, and that made me proud. I'd like to see him dead, but I wouldn't have it in me to plunge the sword or Rasengan through his guts just because he hurt me.

But now that another innocent Jinchuuriki was endangered it wasn't just about a grudge. It was about protecting their life.

They departed in silence. Sakura was happy that Sasuke went with them, I saw it, but she knew better than to jump on him anymore and try idle chatters with him. But I'd say he just wouldn't care. Kakashi asked him a few neutral questions and got the straightest, shortest possible answers.

Still, I had no idea why Ino was with them. She wouldn't be much help against either of the Akatsuki, I'd say, she would rather be a burden for them. I wished I could ask Sakura, she seemed very protective towards her friend. Was Ino sick?

"I will go scout the area," said Sasuke, and with nod from Kakashi, he disappeared into the thick forest. I didn't follow him, I preferred to stay and look for any signs of what was wrong with Ino.

I didn't get anything. About an hour later Sasuke came back from his recon.

"We need to set camp for the night," he said. "I think we'll catch them tomorrow."

"How do you know?" asked Ino, stopping.

"Intuition."

Intuition my ass. I didn't know how he got to know this, but I was sure that was no intuition. What exactly was the game here?

"Fine," agreed Kakashi. "We need to rest anyway. And think of a strategy."

"There is no fine enough strategy against them."

"Can you take your brother alone?" asked Sakura, sitting down, while Kakashi took on the duty of gathering wood for fire.

"If that will be what Kakashi orders me to do, I will."

"What kind of answer is that?" Ino squeaked. "She asked if you are able to kill him if you two fight."

"If that will be the order, I will do my best."

"There won't be need of that," said Kakashi, coming back with handful of dry sticks. "I won't risk you going after Itachi alone, Sasuke. I'm not taking any chances of going into revenge-rage. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I suspected it will be this way when she allowed me to go. It's a mission and I had a deal. I'm under your command."

Kakashi frowned. "Why won't you argue?"

"I'll get him another time. I don't want to lose the opportunity to learn what the Hokage is offering me."

"You're confident and really convinced you will have another chance like this one."

"I know I will. It's a win/win situation for me. This mission is just an additional encounter, not meaning anything in my plans."

"So is there something you want to do before you face your brother in a fight?"

"There is."

Was he telling the truth now or feeding us all with more lies? I couldn't tell anymore, but what I was sure about was that even if he spoke the truth it was far from the whole truth.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

It was just as she told me. Last evening I found the note on tree, just as she promised. Yet I kept repeating myself not to let my guard down. It was likely that they had a plan on their own with whatever advantages they wanted out of it. Or maybe it a twisted way they also had their own honour and what she did was merely keeping the promise she gave me when I won our little game.

It was some time after midday when we crossed the border of our ally. The small village they kept Jinchuuriki in for the time being, living in delusions that they will be able to deceive Akatsuki and delay their move, was not far from here. They wanted to make it convenient for us to take it away and to Konoha.

"Well, well… if it isn't reinforcements from Konoha…" I heard the guttural voice coming from the right side.

We all stopped, seemingly calm, but to trained eye tensed muscles and subtle battle stances were clearly visible.

Oh well, I guess just to make it easier they also knew where we will be. Not that I minded. We would meet sooner or later, what was important was that they didn't catch us asleep during the ambush.

Kakashi immediately lowered his hitai-ate, revealing his red eye.

Kisame walked out of the bushes and showed himself to us in all his monstrous figure. It will be a hard fight indeed.

Especially since I was about to fight until one of us died.

Suddenly from behind him came a voice, a lot higher than his own and higher than one that could be Itachi's as well.

"Ko-konoha!" screamed the, I assumed, Jinchuuriki. "Let me go, please! Please!"

By the corner of my eye I saw Sakura tense even more, narrowing her eyes. She had surely worked on her fighter-instincts.

"Be quiet," now that was Itachi's voice. He walked out from behind a thick tree and joined Kisame, dragging a girl by her hand. He smirked, seeing us all.

"So what now?" He asked. "We have the demon kid, you're not leaving without it. Shall we play cat and mouse then?"

"This is no game!" yelled Sakura, eyes stuck to the ground. Prepared. "You're outnumbered, give up the girl at once!"

"Funny of you to demand such a thing from us, really. I dare say that it's you who are outnumbered."

Conceited bastard. I wasn't saying anything, I had to keep my strength for the fight, not this useless charade.

"Go Itachi, take care of taking the Jinchuuriki away, I'll keep them here."

Itachi smirked and the next moment he disappeared in the woods again. Running with such dead weight? Funny. But on the other hand leaving her in the place of a fight was even worse.

"Go," I said. "Before you lose a trail."

"Sai, stay with…" said Kakashi, but I raised my hand to silence him.

"I'll be fine. You can't let the girl get hurt, it's more important and difficult. Go."

He nodded. I knew he knew I am right, and no matter how he would want to assure my safety, he had to put the good of the mission above it, especially when I myself mentioned it.

And they took off.

Kisame raised an eyebrow at me.

"Your brother was right calling you foolish," he said, taking Samehade off his back. "Do you really think you can take me one on one?" he laughed loudly.

"I can," I said calmly, activating my Sharingan. "And I will use no more than two techniques to do it."

"Oh? Is that a challenge I smell in the air? Already missing your rival? Such a pity he's dead, he fought well."

He was trying to get me off balance, taunt me, but that wouldn't work. I was trained for the past three years not to give into the mindless rage.

"Take it as a challenge, if you wish to. I want just two things from you. And neither I can get as long as you breathe."

"And that would be? If I am a dead man, it wouldn't hurt to tell, now would it?"

"I have no reason to speak to you anymore. Defend yourself!"

And with that I charge at him with Chidori loaded. Just as I thought, he tries to foresee where I'm about to land it. I see confusion flickering in his eyes when my move makes no sense whatsoever. He expects a trap or a trick, but I have no such thing in mind. I pierce through the tree as he jumps out of my way, watching only to avoid the sword for now. He tries to cut me a few times, but I'm too fast for that and he's too crude. I jump away before he's sure to choose the direction.

So he finds another strategy. I see him forming hand seals.

"Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Water clones. Five appear around him, but they have no intention of attacking me. I see them diving into the forest and yet again I stand alone, face to face with the real Kisame.

Of course, I would get rid of the clones soon too.

"So? Waiting for your move," he says.

I only smirk, looking at him, not moving a centimeter. He avoids my eyes, but that doesn't matter. I said two techniques and two techniques it will be.

I begin to load another Chidori. Whatever his clones are doing, it seems that he wants to buy them some time.

"Chidori!" I yelled and punched the ground hard. He jumped away from the ground and stones shot his way.

"Is that how you want to fight me, Uchiha? Have guts! Come closer! Those pitiful rocks won't do me any harm!" he laughs again, mocks me.

"I'm not attacking you with rocks. Dismiss your clones, get your water and fight me. I've no time to waste on idling with you!"

"Ah, haha, still wish to chase after Itachi? Don't bother, he's far away, beyond your reach now. And you ain't getting out of here alive!"

From my brothers partner I would expect better knowledge of the Uchiha's way.

As I thought, he needed clones to get him water. He forms hand seals and dismisses them all.

I wait. I need him to make the first move.

He does. Another hand sign and I recognize what is to come. I am well prepared as well.

"Suiton Suiryuudan no Jutsu!" he yells, and from the hole in the ground I made flies out a water beast. I jump away, avoiding the attack and immediately form my clan's heritage.

"Katon: Goukakyou no Jutsu!"

It clashes with Kisame's dragon and a enormous amount of steam fills the air, covering the view.

But that is nothing for my Sharingan. I jump away, and before Kisame notices what is going on, I charge at him with another Chidori.

One to go.

I aim better than last time, but I made sure he can avoid this attack as well. I cannot let him cut me just yet. I jump away from him.

"Your aim is weak. Are you going blind as well? What's with all the steam?"

He begins to think, to search for unsuspected attacks, for an ambush and tactics he haven't foreseen.

Oh, he won't see mine, alright. I just need to delay it, I need him not to know what I want. He may look like an idiot, but he surely is not. I may despise Akatsuki, but I hold respect for it's members.

He is careful, but he's positive he needs to lay Samehade on me. Dig into my chakra.

And I am positive I have to let him do this.

But not yet… one to go.

I load another, the last Chidori my own reserves allow me to form, and charge at him. This time, with the intention of dealing damage.

He thinks I'm desperate, he thinks I'm getting weaker. I'll show him it's the last thing I can do. I make it obvious it's my final Chidori.

And he catches it. He doesn't waver, doesn't think when his sword meets my hand. Chidori is blown away and I feel my chakra escaping through my hand, clutching the blunt blade. It bleeds from the thorns, but it doesn't cut through my bones.

For him, it doesn't need to.

I fell on my knees and through the descending fog I look at him with a smirk of triumph. I see his eyes widen all of the sudden. His arm begins to shake, so do his legs. He falls beside me.

"What… the… fuck…" he asks.

"Don't like my chakra?"

"What the fuck…"

"Heard it already."

He tries to take the sword out of my hand but I grip it tightly and he has no power to fight me, even though he's the one who holds the hilt.

"Ever wonder where the remnants of Kyuubi went? Here's you answer… Dead man."

I am victorious. I will win, I know it hurts both Kyuubi and Naruto, but that's what has to be done. And after… after he's dead.

I breathe raggedly and watch him close his eyes, as he begins to writhe in pain. It's too unnatural for him to take that chakra into his body. I could, because the bonding was intended and controlled more or less by Kyuubi himself. Yet even then it was destructive for my body.

I knew that channelling it into him would destroy him from the inside.

And frankly, I didn't care for all the pain he got from it.

I let the blade go and his arm fell limply on the ground.

"You fucker…" he muttered and I struggled to get on my knees. I took a kunai from my pocket and slit his throat.

"No more talking, I said."

The small blade fell out of my hand, and with my very last effort, I reached for Samehade and gripped the handle. No thorns came out of it to wound me more. I felt only the cold wave running through my whole body.

The sword chose its next owner.

"That would be one," I whispered and, leaving the heavy blade beside me, took Kisame's hand and unclenched the fingers, slipping the ring off and fitting it onto my own.

"And that… would be two."

* * *

**A/N:** Today I saw on DeviantArt some picture featuring the later parts of the manga. My question is – how much are you bothered if the FanFiction you read doesn't follow the current storyline? Or maybe there are people who even now prefer to read things, let's say, from before the whole Akatsuki plot even? I know only that there are people who can, in my humble opinion, lead their stories better (from some chosen point, and I mean those that involve more than one relationship and Konoha) than the canon goes itself. Do you?


	21. Nothing Else Matters

**A/N [5yl]: **Removed spoilers inside the chapter. Old A/N moved to the bottom for the same reason.

* * *

**-Chapter Twenty One-**

_- Nothing Else Matters –_

**Sasuke's POV**

I woke up after the nightfall. The gruesome view of a slain Kisame welcomed me as the first thing I saw. No one was there, and I couldn't say that was bad. I needed the sword and they would likely leave it where it was, making me go look for it later. I supported myself on my arms, still feeling a bit shaky from exhaustion, and tried to get wholly up to move. I felt Naruto demanding attention.

"It has to be now?" I grunted, wincing at the unpleasant feeling that Samehade must have left on me. He prodded me again (well, if I could call that a prod anyway).

I sighed and lowered myself back to the ground, laying down. I had no real reason to force myself to stand or sit.

"Aw, bastard, you know that hurt?" he greeted, appearing beside me and trying to look as if he was actually sitting on the ground. Idiot.

"I know. You don't expect me to apologize, do you?" I asked tiredly.

"No, not really. I'm not THAT naïve, you know," he grinned, but he became serious again when he glanced over to Kisame's body. "I'm glad he's pushing daisies, ya know. I had quite a hard time under his care."

I didn't really know what to say to it. I didn't know what any of them did to him while he was imprisoned, nor how he got captured really.

"But still… as far as I saw he seemed kinda… I don't know. Human, compared to some of the others."

Some of the others. My brother.

"Human?" I got a little interested, and seeing how I felt, I couldn't really do much more. Sustaining the weak chakra light for him to use was enough to make me feel like never getting up again.

"Yeah, ya know, he told jokes. Even during his tortures he kept joking. That's uh… kinda creepy, but I guess they're all freaks there in Akatsuki. Shouldn't be so surprised. And he seemed kinda close to your brother." I guess I had the what-the-fuck look on my face, since he quickly added. "I mean in a friend kind of way, don't think some weirdo stuff, dattebayo!" He laughed rubbing the back of his head in that typical way of his. Come to think of it, he was damn full of various mannerisms. "They even talked about food or something, or rather Kisame talked but… oh well… now that sounds like some kind of farewell-talk to him, eh?"

"Kinda…"

He sat silent for a while. I couldn't comprehend how he could think of positive things about the man who tortured him and lead to his death. He smiled at his death, but that was a sad smile. He wasn't euphonious, he wasn't even really happy. I've never seen such a pure soul anywhere else. How could he be a ninja? How could he kill anyone if that was necessary?

"Have you ever taken a life, Naruto?" I asked him silently.

He looked at me obviously taken by surprise by such question.

"W-what?"

"You heard me, have you ever killed anyone?"

"Why do you ask, Sasuke?" he shifted uncomfortably. What was going through his mind at this question?

"Curiosity."

"No I haven't," he replied. "And I hope I'll never ever have to, because I don't know if I could. Not even in my own defense… Supposing I had the knife at his throat," he motioned to Kisame, "I would just… knock him out or something, or even let him go, if I had no other choice."

"That would be utterly foolish of you."

"Well I'm a fool then. Death is no child's play, Sasuke."

"Sounds like you were trying to moralize me," I noticed.

"Maybe I was."

"Too late for that one."

"It's never too late…" I barely heard the last words. "Um, could you maybe… burn him?"

"He was the one who killed you, Naruto. Why you still want to show him respect?"

He threw me a sad smile. "It's not that easy… And why? I just… feel that's right. Even now. Please?"

"No." I said. "I am not burying that man."

"A true warrior shows respect to his enemies… And besides, if you're so disgusted by their doings, why do you… work along with them, instead of hunting them one by one?"

"My work with them lead to his death and the saving of that Jinchuuriki girl."

"What is your logic in all this? What are you trying to achieve?"

"For now I achieved the sword, which will probably allow you to get your body without knocking me out. I told you already, what I'm trying to do, is…"

"Is?"

Redeem myself.

"Make both our lives easier."

"Thank you... even if you do it mostly out of the selfish reasons."

I closed my eyes, feeling like I was going to fall asleep again any moment.

"Don't cut me off yet," he said suddenly, taking me out of my bliss.

"If you want anything else, make up your mind, because I'm drifting away."

"Don't you worry about the others?" he asked. I opened one eye to look at him. He was scowling at me.

"There are three of them. And there's a Jinchuuriki on their side."

"They chased after your brother and you don't believe they'll kill him. Otherwise you'd be there."

"I know they won't. As long as he doesn't want to die, he won't be as easily killed."

"Why don't you worry about them? He can incapacitate each one of them by the wave of his damn hand!"

"They'll be fine…" I muttered, speaking was so troublesome. "Shush…"

"Hey bastard! Wake up!"

"Shut up already…"

"Sasuke! You can't sleep right now!"

"Go screw yourself…" I replied and succumbed to the sweet darkness of healthy sleep.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

Rude bastard… I left him to his lovely sleep and myself began to look for any other signs of a fight or anyone who would need help. Not that I could do much myself, but at the speed I was able to travel in, I could probably get back to Sasuke and make him of some use. But luckily enough I saw no one near, though the weird part was that none came back to look for Sasuke. I had a bad feeling about this.

After flying around the area for a while, I decided it would be best to head to Konoha, in hopes that they were all there and alive.

When I reached the village, I took the road to the hospital. Not being able to ask anyone about anything was getting really annoying at times like this, but this day, luck was definitely on my side. I looked at the chart the reception nurse had on their desk and saw both Kakashi and Sai inscribed to a room. I quickly floated up to the third floor and found their room. They both laid unconscious on beds, but the fact that it was no other but Tsunade-baa-chan taking care of them made me relax.

Suddenly, I saw Kakashi-sensei move on the bed a little. He opened both his eyes (his hitai-ate was removed, but the mask was in it's place. I wondered though if Tsunade didn't give into temptation to take a quick peek.)

"So that's it?" he asked, looking around. "Patched up my brain already?"

She looked at him and frowned. "Lay down and don't move. You may not feel bad but you're not fine yet."

"Where is Sakura?" he asked glancing over at Sai. "And Sasuke? Had he came back?"

"Sakura is with the girl, she seemed to suffer some kind of shock. She brought you both here. She was quite despaired, because she couldn't look for him. She's dead worried, but I couldn't make her go back in such a way. And the girl you rescued… she required immediate medical attention. Or rather psychical."

"So he's not here yet…"

"No. Don't freak as well, I'm having a headache already because of her alone."

Choices… That was the worst part of being a ninja. When you had to choose – which friend? Or between your close one and the good of a mission? But this time Sakura had no real choice. Either save three or risk them all in looking for one, who was either doing well or dead already.

"He looked rather sure he'd manage. I hope he was right."

"He survived in Oto for three years, Kakashi. I believe that even if he got into trouble, he could easily weasel his way out of it."

"Yeah, as long as some other weasel took no interest in him while weakened."

Tsunade frowned.

"Let's hope he won't."

I felt fear clenching my throat. They were right. What if Itachi came back to take him? I knew what he wanted from Sasuke. I didn't wait any longer but jumped out and rushed to back to him. The path others would have to walk for two or three days, I could pass in mere hours.

-:-

I found him half way back to the village, sitting on the backside of a road and drinking something lazily. Samehade stood leaning on the tree. I wondered how heavy that thing was. It surely was more for a brute type like Kisame than Sasuke, who more than strength, depended on his agility and speed. He looked perfectly fine to me, but seeing that Sakura was sick worried I made it my responsibility to urge him to move his ass faster.

He acknowledged my presence and allowed me to speak.

"So let her worry," he concluded my report. "I'm alive and relief is such a wonderful feeling."

I snorted. "You could at least pretend you care."

"If she was close to being killed, I would care enough to run as fast as I could to help her. But she's fine."

"She's worried sick!"

"Tch. I was enjoying the afternoon, mind you," he said and sipped his juice or whatever, leaning his head on a trunk.

"Don't you tch me! You'll have time to take sunbaths back at Konoha!" On the other hand I had no idea what for. He was white as snow no matter how much time he spent in the sun.

He sighed. "Fine. We'll talk when I'm back. Let me have a peaceful walk at least, without channeling chakra all the time. It's annoying."

"Che, whatever, just move, 'tebayo!"

Back at Konoha he was directed straight to the hospital for a regular check-up. Upon seeing him, Sakura obviously couldn't help but jump and hug him, almost crying from relief. Well, maybe he had some point, that was indeed a lovely feeling. She began to explain why she couldn't go to him and how their part of a mission went and forced him, and I mean almost physically forced him, to tell what the hell is he doing with the sword and what happened with Kisame.

I just watched them both smiling, at one moment I felt just like the old times, he was ignoring her, she was bubbling thousand things a second. I guess she must have missed him so badly, she still couldn't fully believe he was back. Wait, how long had he here anyway?

And a more important question – how much longer did he have left before Orochimaru took interest in him again?

But I was left to ponder that later since Sasuke ordered Sakura to close the door and make sure no one was eavesdropping.

"What is it, Sasuke-kun?" she asked. "You need to go get your check-up or they'll strangle me for delaying the procedures."

"Can't you just do this? You're a medic. I need to talk to you."

"U-uh… I thi-think I can…" she stuttered and I couldn't help but giggle. Her face turned bright red. "Um, you'd have to… eh…"

He got the hint and rolled his eyes. "For kami's sake, Sakura, you work in the hospital, you've seen all this and more a thousand times," he said and stripped to his boxers allowing her to check all the vitals and whatever medical stuff needed.

Either he was oblivious of her torture or behind that stone mask of his he had some nice laughs. I sincerely hoped for the latter, but seeing him lately that was a little doubtful.

"S-so… what did you want to talk to me about?" she asked when he dressed back and gave her his arm to take a blood sample.

"Naruto isn't really dead," he said.

I slapped my forehead. Come on! Who tells such news in such manner?! I didn't blame Sakura for violent shake of her hand. Sasuke hissed when needle stung him on a bad angle.

Well he had that one coming!

"W-w-what?" she was getting around him just like Hinata around me.

Wait a moment… Hinata always stutter only when I was around, could it be that?

Noo…

I got back to the scene at hand, leaving my romantic ponderings for later.

"He's in some sort of spiritual form. I guess you had a pleasure to meet him once already though, in physical form."

She gaped at him for a moment, her jaw hanging. He took the needle of his arm and threw it to the bin. It was quite bent now anyway.

"I-I don't think I did… I would…"

"You took him for prostitute or something."

"Th-that girl? It was… I knew something familiar was… b-but… I don't understand…"

"It's a long story, for now you are to know that he feeds on my chakra due to some thing Kyuubi did to us, that's why I need the sword and Tsunade's technique. For now he can get physical for a while but I'm done for a few hours."

"I… oh… that all… makes… not much sense at all, and… uh… Naruto is alive?"

He sighed. "I'm sure he just can't wait to explain everything, but what I want of you is to be there when we "revive" him without knocking me out. It does weird things to my mind, and I'd rather have someone who could prevent me from harming him. He insisted on you."

"Oh… I… Oh kami… that's just… a lot… and…" I saw tears gathering in her eyes, she couldn't get a words to say, I think I would be just the same.

"I need to talk to Tsunade now, when I'm ready I'll let you know. Get used to that thought but keep it to yourself for now. I trust you can do this."

Oh, after that she surely can… Emotional blackmailer!

-:-

He was a quick learner. Tsunade was surprised how quickly he got a grip on that technique, but he explained that he only needed to modify a few things Orochimaru taught him before. Although she said he still has some breaches or something that definitely cross him out as a medic. Well, at least he wasn't THAT perfect. In the night he sneaked out again and I followed him, but I wished I hadn't. Hypnotizing ANBU patrol members with Sharingan and sucking their chakra later was surely not something that made him look more reliable in my eyes.

Well, as long as he didn't really hurt them…

He got back and meditated. In the morning I asked him when we were going to test if this out. That would be a breaking point! But he said he wants to take this day to make sure his reserves are big enough. I got it, yeah. He was about to hunt some more folks in the woods…

I spent the whole day floating from place to place, feeling excited to the point I was about to bite my imagined nails, but instead tried to spy on Sakura and Ino. I know that was wrong, but Ino obviously had some trouble.

And after that day I was pretty sure what it was – she was pregnant.

More – she was pregnant with Kiba. And that proved to be a big problem seeing her young age, and that the baby was so far being hidden before everyone.

Including it's father.

It was sunset when Sasuke found us all, or rather them both, in a small café at the brink of Konoha.

"Sakura," he addressed her, totally ignoring Ino. "Come."

She nodded. "Hai."

"Hey, where are you two going?" asked Ino tugging at Sakura's sleeve.

My teammate leaned close to her ear and whispered something that made Ino pout. "Liar."

"See ya tomorrow, Ino-pig. Take care."

"Yeah, yeah… whatever."

They walked through the empty street towards the Hokage's mansion.

"You're here?" he asked.

Sakura looked around frowning. I let Sasuke know of my presence.

"He's here."

She looked at him wide-eyed. "How can you know?"

"I feel him when he wants me to."

She looked as if she suspected him of pulling some nasty prank on her for a moment, but then she realized it would be way below him.

When they walked into the room, he shut the curtains, rays of setting sun coming in through indigo curtain bathed the room in dark shade of purple. Sakura sat down on the couch, while Sasuke got rid of all the weapons he had stuck in his clothing.

"Keep those," he said handing Sakura a pile of jingling metal. He took the rest of the kunais, knives and shurikens laying around the room and passed them to her too.

"Tsunade-shishou lets you keep all those in your room now?" she asked smiling. I really think she had a pretty smile.

"For a mission. When I got back she didn't bother taking them back."

"I see."

"Oh c'mon! Start already!" I yelled and heard Kyuubi chuckle. 'Oh, and who came back from his slumber now?' I asked mentally.

**Well, I wouldn't miss such thing.**

'You think it will work?'

**No reason it shouldn't.**

I grinned. Yes, move on already, dattebayo!

As if they heard me, Sasuke sat on the bed and closed his eyes. I felt a chakra vibrating around him.

"Get to work, Dobe," he said and I did.

Just like every time I passed that point after which I was about to get my body back, just this time I felt no wavering of chakra, the stream was no smaller than in the very beginning. I opened my eyes and saw Sasuke looking at me, fully conscious, though his eyes a little… unfocused?

"Oi, everything alright?" I asked, he nodded slowly.

"NARUTO!" I barely managed to turn around just in time as Sakura jumped on me making me back to the wall to keep my balance. "You baka, what were you thinking dying on us like that! I can't believe it, it is really you!"

She was crying through laughter. She kissed me on the forehead and squeezed hard enough I could swear some ribs gave up. But suddenly she realized why she was here in the first place. She looked back at Sasuke.

"You're alright, Sasuke-kun?"

"Yes," he replied.

"No killing intentions?" I asked him, grinning widely. This success meant it won't be the last time I could actually live again! Well kinda, at least.

"No, although I wish to speak with you now. Alone."

There was something particular about the way he talked, but I waved it off. "Sakura-chan, I'm happy as well, I saw you before but, um, to be here in this world with you again!" I exclaimed and hugged her. "It works, so I bet Sasuke-teme will let me be like this again soon, then we'll go for some ramen!"

"Uh, yeah, sure! I think… oh my, I'm…" she wiped the tears from her face, her voice shaky with emotions. "Damn, I'm crying like a baby, aren't I? I'll go… get my bearings back." She touched my face again, as if she couldn't believe I stood here before her in flesh and bones. "You'll be alright, eh? I'll take all this scrap metal with me as well, so if something happens, you'll be fine."

"Yeah, thanks Sakura-chan!"

She left the room, closing the door behind her, and I heard a loud sob. She must have really tried not to howl like this right before us.

Well, especially before Sasuke.

I turned back to him. "Well, see? You shouldn't have worried about your self-control! No killing here," I grinned.

"Why would I want to kill you, Dobe?" he asked, standing up and coming a little closer. Something was definitely weird in his look.

Well, on the bright side, it was better than the zombie gaze he used to have lately.

"I… I don't know, you said it yourself."

He was getting closer, and I was backing away.

Of course such things always end up with one retreating back up the wall, how else?

"You're really feeling fine, Sasuke? You don't look too fine to me, heheh," I gulped, looking at him not a meter away from me, scrutinizing me with his intense gaze.

"I am fine," he said, supporting himself on the wall and leaning towards me. I stiffened, slightly curious as to what he was about to do.

He kissed my neck. "But you on the other hand… are not breathing, Dobe."

"I… I don't have to, b-but," I felt myself beginning to stutter. I tried to calm myself, but his proximity was driving me insane. "But I can start, if you wish, uh… I really…"

My words got choked inside the moment he grabbed me and threw me right on the bed, before I even noticed fully what was going on.

"It doesn't matter," he murmured, crawling over me. "As long… as I have you."

"Ha-have me?" I asked quietly, feeling him stroking my hair.

He looked at me and smiled. Wildly, oddly. He pulled me up and in one swift movement removed my shirt.

"Sasuke! What are you doing?!"

It's not that he had never seen me shirtless, but it definitely was first time he ripped my shirt of my back, and began gently drawing patterns over it with his fingers. I felt myself blushing.

'Why am I blushing Kyuubi?' I asked, in panic. 'I thought this body doesn't work that way!'

**It works the way your mind and instincts tell it to work. And you evidently feel like blushing right now.**

Sasuke laid me down again, his hand never leaving my chest, his lips beginning play with my earlobe, sending shivers down my spine. I closed my eyes.

**He told to you to knock him out in case he attacked you, Kit. I think that's exactly what he meant by attacking.**

Knock him out… yes, that's what he said, he didn't want to hurt me.

But… oh.

"That tickles!" I said when his warm hand wandered around my neck, brushing my skin with butterfly touches.

He wasn't… hurting me.

"Don't try to stop that blush," I heard him whisper in my ear. "I like it."

As if on their own accord my arms reached around him, diving in his spiked hair. I always wondered if he used something to keep them standing like that, but now I knew he didn't. They weren't harsh, no. Rather silky. I guess it was just a Sasuke-thing, just like Sakura's natural wild pink hue.

The way he was touching me… gently, yet with such passion… it was so different from anything I had ever felt before. His hot breath flew over my ear, making me shiver lightly.

I loved it. I loved the feeling of another human I cared about so badly, being so close to me.

**You're not going to stop him, are you?**Kyuubi asked.

'I… don't want to…'

I wanted to feel it for a little longer, to remember how it was to be touched… loved. Even if that was only my illusion. I knew he's wasn't himself, but I couldn't force myself to stop him, to take his hands of me.

I felt his lips travel down my chest, his hands… his hands were loosening my belt.

"Sasuke…"

"Hush," he said looking at me. "You'll like it."

"I'll like what?"

Instead of answering me, he got rid of my last piece of clothing. But before I realized that I was now complete naked and felt embarrassed, a wave of pleasure shot through me, clearing my mind of any remnants of self-conscious thoughts. I shut my eyes and arched back, on my body's own will, as a moan escaped my lips.

But suddenly he stopped.

"Please, don't…" I whined, before my dignity awoke from the daze.

He smirked. "Wait for me… Naruto," he said, and straightened up, beginning to remove his own clothes.

I sat up and began to help him, my hands shaking. I felt like I was on fire. He looked at me, as if surprised by my eagerness, but I didn't care anymore.

When his shirt fell off, I saw the cursed seal adorning his shoulder. Never before had I actually noticed how beautiful it was, when it's meaning was forgotten. I touched it and Sasuke stiffened. I wanted to retreat my hand, in fear of hurting him, but he caught it and held it in place.

"I feel no pain," he said, and guided my hand around the tattoo. When his hand left mine, I continued to trace it gently, watching as he breathed deeply, his head thrown back in pleasure. I leaned in and tried licking and kissing the black sign. Sasuke's hand buried itself in my hair, tugging at them slightly.

"Naruto..." he whispered. "No more, I won't take anymore. Look me in the eyes."

I obeyed.

I wasn't expecting to see Sharingan.

He caught me in an illusion of sorts, but I saw no alternate reality, no horrors surrounding me from out of nowhere. I felt only… light, almost as if I was flying. He lowered me slowly back on the bed and began to prepare me for what was to come. I felt no pain or discomfort I knew I should expect. Only his touch.

I knew how all this will end, I knew neither of us would stop, not when we got this far. It was a first time for me, but I had no doubts. I wanted him to continue.

No regrets.

But one.

"Sasuke…" I said silently, and he looked back at me. "Release it," I asked. "I want to remember it exactly as it was. Even the pain."

He looked at me for a moment in silence, and then placed his hand on my burning forehead.

"Kai," he said, and the genjutsu was gone.

He traced the whisker marks on my cheeks. I couldn't remove my eyes from his own, so full of… emotion. I couldn't recognize all of them, distinguish from one another, but they were there, flickering deep in his black poles.

And then he kissed me. For the first time, not just caressed with his lips, but kissed, slowly at first, almost playfully, urging me to join him. And I did. Almost instantly, from gentle nipping, kiss became heated fight for domination.

And we both refused to give up.

Rivalry.

And in the middle of our fight, he entered me. My nails dig into his back, and I thought I'll scream, but it was drowned in the kiss. He let me win, for a moment, as if to ease that pain shooting through my body.

We broke for breath. His hand came to my face and wiped the tears that fell down, against my will.

He waited. He cared. He didn't want to hurt me.

That meant everything.

"I'm alright," I said quietly, after a while.

And he began to move, I looked at him, determined to remember this image until the end of my days. His lone strands of hair, that refused to spike up like the rest of them, were tickling my face. He was a little flushed, lips half opened to breath.

I swear, I've never seen him looking so alive.

Suddenly he hit something deep within me that made me scream in surprise and ecstasy.

"Sasuke… there!"

He smirked and kissed me again. "I know."

And after a few more moments I felt like I couldn't take anymore. "I'm…" but the next thing that came out my mouth was only a scream.

I tried to muffle it, vaguely remembering where we were. I barely felt as he bit me on the shoulder and his hand on my neck traced down my back as he came too.

He moved beside me, and swayed a little. "You definitely took too much chakra," I heard.

And he fainted.

There was a funny thing about being dead, I noticed. All the signs of life began to wonder you, seem like the most precious, wanted and fragile things one could see and possess.

I laid my head on Sasuke's chest and closed my eyes, listening to the beating of his heart and calming my breathing. And I cherished that moment, because I knew, I will never again have such an opportunity.

* * *

**A/N [moved]: **Rating changed to M.

**For those of pure mind** – before you close this window, read the note to the end. There is a bed scene in this chapter, but right before it there is an additional warning, nothing easier than to skip it, if you wish to continue the story and never see anything above PG-13.

**For all the perverts out there though** – this is my first time I've tried to write something bolder than a kiss (since almost all of you wanted it, I did my best), but it's not a real lemon. I tried to focus more on emotions than hotness, it's for the sake of a plot, not nosebleeds, sorry xD. Yet there are mentioned things, I'd rather not risk posting in T-rated fic, I think it's now somewhere between those T and M. If this one here won't be horrible, -:-maybe-:- next time I'll write something hotter (it took tons of courage to post this one, so that would be a lot of shyness-fighting on my side) :P The fic doesn't end here and no one said there's only one bed scene allowed.

**WARNINGS:** Well, said enough in A/N but if someone doesn't read those – there is a bed scene. Light one, but present. Another warning placed inside, right before it, since the fiction was rated T before.

* * *

**A/N: **I hope it wasn't too terrible, I was really nervous about posting this one, even though it isn't too explicit. Be understanding, please. Chapter came out as a long, fat monster, (and the next is almost ready because I cut some ready parts form this one). Well at least, if one part is bad, the others may be better, neh? :)

About **EienKohaku's **question – I can't really say how many chapters are left, but I think what I have planned will take at least around 15 more. Damn, long monster. And it was supposed to be like 10 chapters tops when I got the idea, so you can expect going some beyond 15 knowing me. I hope that's not too bad. I personally like long things (that sounds weird I guess, but you know what I mean ;) )

And as for another question I received on mail – there will be no kind of mpreg in this fic. Sorry if some of you like it.

**Title of the chapter is from one of the most beautiful songs ever, by Metallica.**

Please review!


	22. When the Goals Meet

**A/N: **Thank you all for the great comments on last chapter! I was scared you'd flame me to hell and further away. Love you all :)

Fanfiction has some alert issues, I think... It's confusing.

And as for the following few chapters… They will be pushing forwards plot more than romance, and that's for one major reason – can't write this pairing basing on fluff and Konoha's inside drama. Just can't imagine how to write it in such a case (without terrible amount of clichés and major OOC on Sasuke's part), and what my imagination tells me now is getting more complex. I'll do my best to make everything that happens have some meaning later, so look for slight details and insinuations. I hope you'll all like those chapters too, I enjoy writing them anyway. Just don't expect fluff around every corner :) The fic is tagged Friendship as well, after all. Though not friendship only (though mostly) between Naruto and Sasuke, mind it.

Thanks to JadeOokami for betaing! :)

**-Chapter Twenty Two-**

_- When the Goals Meet -_

**Naruto's POV**

When that weird, mind-hazing and breath taking feeling left me, it struck me finally what the hell exactly had just happened.

I had sex with Sasuke. Oh holy shit…

Sasuke-teme.

The Bastard.

Uchiha.

My best friend.

My male best friend.

I got up from bed, confusion floating within me in waves. For some reason I felt like laughing, but I restrained myself. I had a hunch that if I started I wouldn't stop for a nice while.

'Kyuubi, could you do something with, um…' I thought to the fox, feeling a little awkward.

**No, not really. Had your fun, Kit, feel your fun's aftertaste.**

'Bitch.'

I had to get my clear mind back. Yes. That was most important right now. I decided a cold shower could do me some good, especially since I was all sweaty and it seemed I had some time left in my bodily form.

The cold water pouring down on me seemed to really calm me and let me actually think in some sorted up manner. I remembered my thoughts from when my mind was fogged with lust and all that storm of rapid feelings. I think that if I actually had a time to think about it before it happened I would've burst into laughter. The mere thought was just ridiculous.

If not for the fact that it all actually happened.

But for once, I agreed with that wild part of myself.

I didn't regret it. I loved him. I loved him as a friend and that was more than enough for me not to regret this happening. I smiled. A memory to treasure, no matter how crazy and weird it actually was.

Well, if he doesn't kill me afterwards. I made a decision for us both, in a way.

I got out of the shower, trembling slightly. I almost forgot how it is to feel cold. Funny how easily one gets used to new, convenient circumstances. I got dressed in some clean clothes he had in his wardrobe, this time checking if there was no Uchiha emblem on them. I was afraid the ones I had with me were in bad shape… not to mention that I couldn't see them anywhere.

**They probably vanished not long after you… he took them off. They're your chakra's creation as well.**

'Well, duh. Could you like, be silent now?' I asked him. 'The thought of you being here the whole time disturbs me. Deeply.'

He snickered in response but at least I didn't hear him anymore. I cleaned up all the mess we made and dressed Sasuke as well. Who knows who could barge into the room in the morning, and I didn't think he would be particularly thrilled to be naked when Kakashi jumped on his windowsill.

I sat back down on the bed, wincing slightly and laughed at myself.

"Ya know, Sasuke, you're prolly gonna kill me when I'm back, but there's something I feel I have to do before it's too late. I wanted to tell you and explain it, but well, you chose to do something else instead." I stroked his head. It was so weird… and yet so comforting to be able to touch him, finally home and all. I guess if he was awake he'd bite my hand off, but since he wasn't… And even if before I would probably feel stupid doing such a thing, right now I couldn't even begin to care. "I just wonder… if it was anyone else, would it end just the same? Yeah, well, I guess it would. You had a nice mess in this head of yours… I'm sorry, I knew it and yet… Ah, hell. Why do we talk to each other sincerely only when the other side if off limits or at least suspected of being off limits?" I snorted, remembering him talking to my body.

I got up and glanced over the room once again to make sure nothing was amiss and then left, hoping that Sakura-chan was still awake.

-:-

I stopped on the backside of the hospital building. I couldn't just waltz in, I was still officially dead, although I decided that if anyone else I know will be with Sakura, I will reveal myself to him (or her) too. I sighed and looked at the high and branchy tree that would surely allow me to gaze into most of the windows.

Climbing time. If only moving was easier, dammit. I had to climb NOW, of course.

I braced myself for what was to come and began moving upwards, I didn't want to use any more chakra than necessary, we still didn't know how much I could take before I'm gone after the dose I had this time.

I aimed for the room where Tsunade-baa-chan insisted on keeping Kakashi for the past three or so days. From what I've seen on my short visit here today, he wasn't too happy about this fact.

'Bingo,' I thought. Inside the room sat no other than Sakura. Well where else could she go when her two teammates were condemned to rest in the hospital.

Sakura was talking with Kakashi, but she surely seemed anxious, fidgeting with the hem of her medical uniform. On the second bed Sai sat deep in the lecture of one of Kakashi's Icha Icha. Well HE surely will like those. Lots of his… favourite anatomy parts in there.

I wasn't Sasuke. Jumping right in with a scream of "guess who's home!" wouldn't be the best idea. Especially since two of patients were just probably tortured by a freaking genjutsu master. If only Sakura could see me…

I jumped on the closest bough and knocked silently at the window, hoping only she will hear, since she was sitting nearest.

She did, she looked behind herself said something to Kakashi and jumped towards the window to open it.

"What's up, Sakura?" asked Kakashi, who could see nothing for Sakura obscured his view.

"You see… Oh… Well, better just see for yourself," she said smiling.

I jumped into the room and they saw me. Sai just blinked a few times, fake smile intact. He still had troubles showing emotions at normal circumstances, one could guess he'll be a "little" lost in such as those now.

On the other hand Kakashi looked ridiculous with a mimic he bore for a second.

"Is this an illusion?" he asked Sakura, throwing her a glare saying clearly he's not amused.

"No," I said, and before any storm could unfold I began telling them a story from my death, up to now. Well, more or less anyway.

When I finished Sakura smiled broadly. She had had some more time to get into terms with my miraculous survival.

"While they deal with another shock let me see this wound on your neck. What's that?"

I backed a step. "Nothing, just a scratch. We, eh… kinda fought after you left…"

"He attacked you?" she asked, worry taking over her face.

"Uh, it's nothing serious, dattebayo!" Well, nothing serious, just that it goes all the way down my back. I'd rather her not try to heal it. "I paid him back, don't worry Sakura-chan!"

"You're sure you don't want me to heal it? It will only take a second."

"No need, I'm dead, remember?" I laughed. "I'll be gone and it will be gone as well." She visibly winced at 'be gone' phrase. "Oi, be gone but not like gone, gone, ya know. Just keep an eye on the Bastard and I'll be fine and as alive as I can be."

Suddenly the door opened and before I could even react and hide under the bed or something, in came Gaara.

"The spandex team brought some unconscious ANBU they found laying spattered around the forest. Their…" he stopped in half-sentence and his panda eyes widened.

"Gaara!" I yelled and suddenly didn't care much of who could hear me. I ran and jumped on him, bear-hugging the poor Kazekage, refusing to let go when he tried to pry me off him.

"It is really you…" he whispered, stunned.

"Aw, trademark bear-hug and everything's clear?" I asked, releasing him and letting him get a breath. "Your speech at my funeral made me cry, you know?" I poked his arm.

And there the tale had to be told again.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

I woke up in the morning, feeling a little weird for an unknown reason. Sun was shining a little too brightly for my taste and I didn't remember unfolding the curtains.

To be honest I could hardly remember anything from yesterday's evening. I rubbed my forehead and threw off the sheets. I must have fallen asleep after we tried that thing, but…

Was I in pyjamas? I didn't remember changing.

Suddenly some memories began to come back to me.

I shot straight upward on my bed. What the hell happened yesterday? Last thing I remembered clearly was sending Sakura away. Why did I do that? Or rather – why did she listen? She was to stay here to prevent…

Oh kami…

I remembered him, under me, scared, insecure, confused. He asked what'd been going on, but I could give him no answer.

I warned him, for father's sake! I warned him and told him to knock me out!

I tried to focus to see if I could remember anything that happened after. I couldn't. Maybe he sobered up enough to stop me.

Yeah. He wasn't THAT big an idiot to forget it in such circumstances. And he had Kyuubi, although from that beast I could expect all the worse.

I leaned on the wall, calming down. First time I felt that urge, I fainted, luck be with us. But that made me think… imagine what I could do to him and I cringed at the very thought. I didn't want to hurt him. Not in… this way, surely.

Although I hoped I could control myself enough, so he wouldn't have to know what I meant by attacking him in that state.

Well… What's done is done, as long as we're both fine, I guess he'll live with it. I had to find him and ask how long he stayed in his proper form. And then find a way to control myself after because as it was now it was rather pointless.

"Dobe, you're here?" I asked, but got no response.

Instead someone knocked at the door. I opened them just to see Kakashi, smiling (or so I thought, judging by the curves on his mask).

"Yeah?" I asked, not in the mood for guests at this time in the morning.

"You just woke up?" he asked surprised.

"Yes. So?"

"It's after lunch time already." Oh… So maybe it wasn't as early in the morning as I had thought, but still.

"What's the matter?"

"Naruto wanted me to tell you something."

Naruto told Kakashi? Now that's interesting.

"How many people did he visit, eh?" I asked, but to my awe, I didn't even get annoyed.

"Just one room," he said. "Sai, me and Sakura, who obviously knew already." I swear he sounded hurt. "Oh, and Gaara who had the luck to look for Sakura with some news of mysterious ANBU getting knocked out in the forest, lacking chakra," I didn't miss his eyes darting to Samehade under the wall, "and with no memory whatsoever of what happened."

I crossed my arms. He was sometimes too smart for his own good. Or I too careless in hiding my actions. "You have no proof," I said.

"I don't need one. They're alive, that's fine. You've made Naruto… live again," his voice was more silent than usually, and not so cheery.

I stood aside and let him in.

"Let's not talk in the threshold."

He nodded and made himself comfortable on the sofa. Maybe he didn't sound cheery but it was more than obvious he was happy. Really happy, the way he moved, talked. Lighter than I have ever heard him since coming back.

"Anyway, he said he wanted to tell you himself last evening, but evidently you got into a fight so he just asked me to pass it to you in the morning."

"Where is he anyway?" I asked. "Did he tell you anything?"

"He's on his way to Sound as we speak. Or maybe he reached it already in his ethereal form."

Wait…

"What?!"

"Calm down, Sasuke. You know you don't have much time left. He wants to get to know enough for you to prepare to defend yourself, nothing more. And you're not going after him, he's in the other dimension so he won't get hurt."

I sighed and laid back on the bed. "I know," I said. But what was that idiot thinking going there? "But there are still things we don't know about that state. There are those capable of destroying the essence he is."

"Who is capable of that, Sasuke? What do you know?"

"Not much," I lied. "But Kisame told me few things before dying."

"They seem to have a funny habit of telling us things just before their demise," he smiled. "You know about Sasori, don't you?"

"Of course I know. That was quite a plot he had. Too bad Orochimaru convinced Kabuto to work for the other side. I guess they just like to have the last word."

"Possibly. What did Kisame say?"

"Akatsuki have a jutsu that would allow them to acquire some of the Kyuubi's lost energy, obviously killing Naruto in the process. They'll focus on the other Jinchuuriki for now, so I wouldn't worry much about it. It's rather the fact of the existence of such technique that… worries me."

"Orochimaru could obtain it as well," he said and I nodded. "But it's too late to change anything now, Naruto is way too fast in his form for any of us to follow."

"I know."

"Let's just hope he doesn't get into any trouble."

"Aa. I need to talk to Tsunade, is she busy?"

"Tsunade-SAMA, Sasuke. She's your Kage now."

"Che, whatever." Lived in Sound for three years, never learnt to honour Orochimaru with such title.

Kakashi just sighed and shook his head, but his visible eye was smiling again.

"I guess she's just as busy as always. What do you want?"

"I have some unfinished business outside Konoha."

"Don't go to Sound, Sasuke. Please," he was serious.

"Nothing like that. I have something… to burn."

He nodded, relieved, and I left the room.

-:-

**General POV**

"So, you're certain now?"

"Seems so," Konan stretched her legs and spread herself comfortably on the armchair. "And don't you even think about it, Itachi."

"Think of what?" he asked innocently.

"You know very well what."

"I don't think it would work, really," he admitted. "Scrolls say nothing about such a possibility. If they did, I would've found a way to use it a long time ago."

Deidara finished another clay figurine and placed it on the windowsill beside the others.

"You aren't going to blow the window off, are you?" the woman asked, frowning.

"No worries, un," the man smiled. "That window is an art, yeah," he gently traced the carved frame.

"The more I worry about it."

"No reason. It's not worth blowing up. Besides, it's getting cold outside, yeah. Want a blanket?"

"I can hand myself a blanket, should I want one. Thank you," she snapped at him.

"Hey, I just wanted to be nice, un! So... what are you going to do now?"

"Nothing," she replied. "Wait and… later I'll see. But we were supposed to be discussing other matters, mind you," she said and reached for the glass, but Itachi swept it from before her hand. "What do you think you're doing?"

He smiled and sipped on the stolen wine, ignoring the question. "So back to the business," he said. "What did Pein say to the news?"

"That we can spare another, should it be Sasuke's demand. The mess Kyuubi's failed extraction provided in the plans forced him to think of a new way to use the bijuu's. It's possible seven will do. But not one less, we can't afford losing any more."

"Well if that snaky creep will begin his hunt, he has a fine chance to screw it all, yeah," said Deidara, taking a cookie from the bowl. "These are just delicious!"

"Well, send Zetsu to do shopping and that's the result."

"I just hope he didn't help himself with whoever made those miracles, un. So what's the plan to get rid of the snake? It's not like we can storm the whole Sound, yeah."

"No need to," said Itachi. "I think I have quite an idea how to solve that problem. Although, that would take some time for which I would be off limits for Akatsuki."

"How long?"

"Around eight months, more or less, although for the period of seven I would be around. There is a ritual jutsu, that would rid us all of Orochimaru once and for all. But that, I cannot perform alone."

"You need him for that, don't you?"

"Indeed."

-:-

**A/N:** I know I was vague in the Akatsuki part of the chapter. It will all be explained/solved later. Review please!


	23. Too Dark to See

**A/N:** Uh, sorry for some OroKabu x) Couldn't help myself, this pairing is so ridiculous. But it will matter later in this fiction, even if only a little!

Title of the chapter is a verse from **Knocking on Heaven's Door** song. You've probably noticed already I like to play with those.

**WARNINGS: **Controversial subject brought up in the Sasuke/Ino part of a chapter.

**-Chapter Twenty Three-**

_- It's Getting Dark, too Dark to See –_

**Sasuke's POV**

Before I could knock on the door to the Hokage's office, they flew open right before my face and revealed the Godaime herself.

"In," she ordered harshly and I went inside, wondering what's going on. She sat behind her desk and laced her fingers together before her face, only her hazel eyes glaring at me. "Sit down."

I raised one eyebrow and, from inbred stubbornness, decided to stand, leaning on the wall. "What's the matter?" I asked her, deciding it's better to solve her problem before my request is made. I still hadn't too much of trust and letting me out of the village would border miracle.

"What's the matter?!" she hollered. "What's the matter?! What do you think you've been doing using that new sword of yours to attack our ANBU on patrols?!"

"I killed no one."

She rolled her eyes in disbelief. I barely hid my smirk. "Are you completely insane?! I don't know what politics Orochimaru leads but here this kind of behaviour is… unbelievable!" I swear if looks could kill I would drop dead where I stood.

But the ace was mine.

"I did it for Naruto" I said, I admit, curious of her reaction.

She shook her head. "What have you said?"

"I said I did it for Naruto."

Her eyes turned into slits. "I thought you had more class than that, Uchiha. Or you indeed are insane and in for a longer stay in asylum."

"He isn't dead. And I am just as sane as you are." Which isn't THAT sane if one thought deeper.

She stood up and walked over to me, never once leaving my eyes. "What do you mean he's not dead?" her voice was quieter, the anger gone, replaced by hope.

"Kyuubi saved him, bound his essence to this world when the body passed out. You can ask both Sakura and Kakashi to prove I'm telling you the truth. They saw him in the night."

I was ready to explain all of it more thoroughly, should she ask, but obviously that was enough.

"He's not dead…" she whispered.

And next moment I was being suffocated in one hell of a hug.

That threw me off balance.

"Tsunade-sama?" I asked, trying to push her off me but that was futile. That woman HAD monster's strength.

"Oh shut up!" came the scream followed by harder squeeze and I knew I had to wait this one out.

Fighting this woman, Sasuke, was always futile. And at times deadly. Should you meet her again, run.

Running was kind of out of question, but I chose to live.

And she was crying.

"How long?" she asked. "How long has he been in Konoha?"

"Since… I," cough. "Came back. I can't breathe." I felt tempted to tell her about our joined lives so she would have reason not to suffocated me, but on the other hand I could expect being closed in a room with wool walls for a lifetime to ensure her surrogated son's, or brother's, safety.

"And he told me nothing?!" she yelled. "He is so dead when he comes back!" she let go of me and I choked on air.

The information of that being my fault I also decided to keep for myself.

"Actually I came here for another reason," I said.

-:-

If she wasn't in such glorious mood I doubt she would let me out of Konoha for six days. But after making me tell her all the known technical issues of Naruto's weird existence, she was so ridiculously happy she decided no harm can be done if she humours me this time. After all, I told her exactly where and what I'm going for, so she could reach me at any moment.

Assuming I don't flee, but she seemed pretty certain I won't. And who am I to argue with a drunk and happy woman?

I threw a few necessary things into my backpack and left through the gate, showing guard the permission written by Godaime.

I looked back at the Hokage's monument and a few memories of the Dobe pointing at it and rambling about his becoming one of them one day. I wonder if he ever really believed it.

Well, now that he was dead that dream was simply impossible to come true. And even a moron like him couldn't argue with it anymore.

As I was walking down the road, not in a big hurry, I suddenly heard a weird noise on my right. I stopped for a moment to listen more carefully. It sounded like a pained cry, breaking into whimpers. My first thought was to follow the road and leave people to their business but curiosity took over me and I deviated into the forest, soundlessly sneaking through the bushes. I didn't know yet if I wanted to be seen.

I was, to say the least, surprised to see Yamanaka Ino, crouching on the ground with blood covering her hands.

"Ino," I said, kneeling before her.

She looked up at me, her face in grimace of pain, eyes wet from tears. "S-Sasuke-kun… please… help me…"

"Fine, what happened?" I asked, I couldn't see any injury. "Where does the blood come from?"

"Th-the baby…" I barely heard her speaking.

Baby? What baby? "You are pregnant?"

She bent down, holding her stomach.

"I'll take you back to Konoha."

"No!" she screamed and winced. "N-no.. please, don't, please Sasuke-kun, please."

She was panicking. "You're bleeding, something is very wrong, you need help."

"They won't… they'll…" she grabbed the front of my shirt, smearing her blood all over it. "They can't know, please, don't tell them."

"Calm down, Ino, calm down. I'll tell no one if it won't be necessary, I promise. But you need medical attention." I was no medic but I knew well enough that blood coming from pregnant woman could be a fatal sign. "You can miscarry."

"I tried… I tried… to get rid of it…" she was terrified. "Please… please don't judge me, Sasuke-kun… my family… they wouldn't hear of that baby… I would be all alone."

"What have you done to yourself?" I asked pulling out a bandage and gave it to her, so she could wipe the blood of her hands, but the cloth just fell on the ground when she curled up again in spasm of pain.

"I… there was a medical technique… I tried to perform it, but something went wrong… I can't finish it and…" she screamed again. "It hurts so bad… Please help me…"

"Tell me what to do, Ino."

"You have to finish it, please…" She took my hand and guided it to her belly, instructing me what should I do according to the scroll she had.

"Lie down and relax, I can't feel too clearly," I said, closing my eyes and guiding my chakra through her.

Slowly I felt her calming down. "Is the pain lessening?"

"Yes… thank you… I… I think it's coming to an end… But… this is wrong, isn't it?" she asked. "I'm killing this baby… and you didn't even ask if it can be saved, why?"

"I'm the last one to judge you. You were in pain, and all I did was help to ease it." She looked taken aback, but in her eyes I saw relief. "Do you want to clean yourself? There's a pond nearby."

"Y-yeah…" she tried to get up, but swayed and would have fallen, had I not caught her.

I sighed and carried her to the pond and turned around facing the forest to give her privacy. "Should I escort you back to Konoha?" I asked her after a moment.

It was interfering in my plans. I was taught to let nothing and no one ever get in my way. But I guess all that my mother taught me when she was alive was more than what I was taught by Orochimaru during those three years. I couldn't leave a woman alone in such a situation.

"What's your mission, Sasuke-kun?" she asked me.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, you may come," I said knowing where that question will lead and not wanting to waste my breath any more than necessary. "I need to burn the body of Kisame."

"Oh? Why?" she came before me, dripping wet but cleaner and visibly regaining her strength.

"Because I feel like it," I said, not willing to go into details of my emotions. We started walking again and I wasn't a fool to expect silence. Her own thoughts would suffocate her. I know that feeling all too well.

"You know… it was all so unexpected," she said. "I mean I was drunk… I don't even remember anything… and Kiba, he's the father, he was, well, Kiba… He didn't mind and I guess he wasn't too sober either and… we forgot about protection and dammit! If I wasn't so drunk I would never… I mean I've never before and I don't love him… and…"

And she began to sob clutching at my sleeve.

"You were lucky, Ino."

"L-lucky?" she blinked at me.

"Yes, lucky. He is your friend, not an enemy."

"Why would I sleep with my enemy at all?"

I frowned looking at her questioningly. "Why else do you think they teach kunoichis all that seemingly useless woman stuff? To go pick flowers in enemy territory and eavesdrop? Don't make me laugh."

"Why are you so bitter?" she asked stopping for a moment and scrutinizing me. "Konoha doesn't send women on such missions anymore."

"You live in a beautiful world… or rather a world of beautiful beliefs," I said continuing my walk.

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" she tugged at my sleeve and I glanced at her wearily.

"Do you remember that silver haired girl that used to stalk me three years ago?" I asked her. "Haru, was her name."

"I thought you didn't know the names of your fan club. She's dead, Sasuke-kun," she visibly saddened.

I knew that very well.

"So I heard… What happened to her?"

"Why you ask about her all of a sudden?" she frowned. "She was killed by two rogue ninjas on a C-ranked mission when she went solo. She was a good kunoichi, but they ambushed her, mistaking the package she was carrying for different one."

I smirked. "I guess, part of that could be true, she was indeed killed by a ninja deemed missing. Although there was no package, neither the one she was supposed to be carrying, nor the one that it was mistaken for."

"What do you mean? You know more of her death?"

"Yes. I was the one to kill her."

"W-what?" she asked, her eyes widening in fear and she finally let go of my sleeve.

"She begged me for mercy, you wish to know no more."

Judging by the look of her face she believed my word and posed no more questions. I still remember that girl, she was the first innocent one that fell from my hand. But even though it was hard for me to raise the sword against her I did it.

She was, in my eyes, one of those annoying girls from my previous life.

And then she was dead, in the pool of blood all her own. And my sword plunged through her heart.

But I believed her wish was to die. She said she did as much as she could for Konoha, and her only dream became to finally find her peace.

I know people who would say she was weak. But she wasn't. She stood still until the goal she had was fulfilled. And then she let it go. It's also a strength to break the routine, to break the cycle and make a decision many would condemn you for.

Maybe I am bitter. But like no one else, I understand the meaning of serenity, peace and a desired end.

We continued the walk in silence after that until the sun set and the moonless night came over the world. We settled a makeshift camp for the night. At this pace, by tomorrow's end, we shall reach our destination.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

'Kyuubi! Gouge out my eyes! Gouge them I say, now! Gods, I can't even puke! Have mercy!' I shrieked in my mind.

**Too late for eyes, Kit. I would have to gouge your brains**, he chuckled.

'Well do so! Erase this memory, I beg of you!'

**I think we have agreed – no memory cleaning no matter what happens. Live with it.**

'I'd rather die!'

**Too late for that too.**

'Aargh!'

I stood behind the wall safely separating me from the view I'd rather not witnessed. Naked Orochimaru with naked Kabuto doing… naked things. But I couldn't back away now, no. I had something to do here, definitely.

On the first day I came to Oto, already in my spiritual form, I found Kabuto's lab and some notes of his. Most I couldn't decipher at all, at some points he was obviously just like other medics – handwriting illegible. But other than that I found him ridiculously meticulous. This reminded me a little of Sasuke.

My plan wasn't to stay in this place for more than one day. I thought that there wasn't much time left before they'll try to get Sasuke back here to take over his body, but they seemed calm enough and not in a hurry in the least. Obviously Kabuto found a way to lengthen the period Orochimaru could spend in his current body. Healthy enough.

Ew.

I shuddered, I still could hear the noises but they were talking and so far I've learnt how much time exactly there was left.

Two months tops.

Well, that had to be enough. They were still counting on Sasuke coming back on his own accord. Orochimaru wasn't willing to drag him out of Konoha, that was huge obstacle and from what I think I've heard right, appeared that he had his spies around to ensure my friend's capture as soon as he leaves the safe walls of the village and immediately bring him before Orochimaru.

**I think they're done talking, Kit**, I heard the Fox.

Loud screams ensured me in that statement. 'Yeah. Ya think it's worth it to lurk here anymore? I'd really rather go back home. I can't stand this damn chill all around me when he's not near.'

**There's a high possibility they will talk more about Jinchuuriki business.**

'But that isn't granted. I've stalked them for three days now and all I got is that Orochimaru wants one here. And that he wants that extraction ritual the Akatsuki have.'

**I don't think it's possible to spy on them hard enough to get that, Kit.**

'Yeah, well, I think that if he thinks it is, then that's reason enough to worry. I don't know what this freaks planning, but I have bad feeling. You wouldn't happen to know how to perform that jutsu anyway, would you?'

**No.**

'No? C'mon, you're the ancient demon and all, you've gotta know such things…'

**As you said, I am an ancient demon. I had no use in human's little jutsus in my life time.**

'You could get some now, ya know. That would make my life lotsa easier, dattebayo!'

**I'm going back to sleep. Go back to Konoha, Kit, you'd better keep an eye on that Uchiha of yours before he does something stupid.**

'Are you getting protective of him?'

He only snorted in response and disappeared from my awareness. I wondered where he lives now, since I have no body and therefore no seal to keep him in some weird cage chamber. Not that the chamber build in my inner dimension was very logical. I guess that was just one of those things not meant for me to understand.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

The moment I woke up I knew something was terribly wrong. For a moment I felt as if the world was spinning around and that was a bad sign. Was I poisoned? Where was I anyway?

Before I opened my eyes I realized my arms were tied over my head and I wasn't lying on the floor. I jerked at the restraints and looked up. I was lying on a bed covered with satin sheets in a bloody hue, tied, nowhere else but to the bedpost.

I looked frantically around the room. I noticed there were no windows, but everything was dimly lit from the gleam of a few candles put on the two tables beside the wall. The more conscious and aware of my predicament I became, the less I liked the situation.

I tugged at the restraints again, with all my strength, but something… or rather someone caught my wrist. The tickling trail of chakra snaked around my wrists, strengthening the ropes.

I looked up and saw the pale fingers gleaming with dim blue light.

I heard no footsteps as he came closer. I looked up at the face half-obscured by the loose black hair and felt my heart jump to the throat.

If only I left that body there to rot, and not suddenly felt bad for leaving it neglected…

Karma is a real bitch.

-:-

**A/N: **Thanks all for reviewing this story. It makes me smile and want to write more and sooner :) Also gives me some idea on what you like the best and fun of seeing if you can or not foresee my ideas and future events ;


	24. Dangerous Mind

**A/N:** Title of this chapter comes from a song by Within Temptation (again). It send shivers down my spine, don't know why.

**s****ilver-eyed **– Ino is not going to matter much, though I find background of the story important, to show that the world doesn't stop for two people. That's why other characters may appear too, without great meaning, but showing some features of characters and making the plot a little more full.

As for the time – who said Sasuke was unconscious for an hour or so? It could be Orochimaru. Congratulations for those who guessed right though, and I hope the cat's fine :P

**NOTE:** I assume that Akatsuki members are neither stupid nor glued/sewn to their trademark cloaks and can take them off if needed.

**-Chapter Twenty Four-**

_- Dangerous Mind –_

**General POV**

"It's easier for you, you have flying bird. You can easily take her home. Ah, don't forget to jump to the shop on the way. We ran out of donuts, and it's pretty far from the hideout. But what's it for you, you have a flying bird. Yada, yada, yada," Deidara scowled at the bird, which proved to be as much of a blessing as a curse. "I would blow you off, girl, just for the heck of it. But I have a feeling Itachi will have a tough day with his little family reunion, so for once I'll humour him, yeah," he poked the unconscious form of Ino laying, on the back of the white, flying, clay monster.

It wasn't long before they took off. Ino was still unconscious due to the poison the Sound team used on her and Sasuke. He didn't really blame the younger Uchiha for being caught off guard, ambushers were prepared and knew who they are following and how to do the job.

Too bad they were being followed as well. And in the end it proved that they were out of their league. The fight was over before it really began. Two to five. Deidara smirked victoriously.

Suddenly the limp body before him moved. So the antidote was beginning to work. "Tch, you're awake?" he asked.

Ino's head suddenly shot up, eyes went wide. "Holy shit!" she shrieked and in panic latched herself to the body behind her, closing her eyes. "Make it stop! Make it stop!"

"Make what stop, yeah?" Deidara asked bewildered. "You're still sleeping, un."

"Make it land! Kami, where am I? Who are you?" she tried to peek but immediately covered her face back. "Please make it go down!"

"What is your problem, girl, yeah?"

"I have high anxiety!" she shrieked.

Deidara slapped himself on the forehead. 'My freakin' luck, yeah. And who has the flying bird now?'

He sighed and landed the bird on the ground and forced Ino's hands of his sleeves.

"Get off," he said. "We'll walk, just move, I don't have the whole day."

She let go off him and looked at him terrified, pale as if she saw a ghost. "W-who are you?"

"Uh, your escort, I guess?"

"E-escort?" she shook her head regaining her senses. "Wait, where is Sasuke-kun?! Where are we? What happened?"

"Calm down, un. You two were poisoned and rescued by me and an… uh, an old friend of Sasuke's, yeah. Uchiha's going to be fine… or at least not killed, yeah. And I was to take you to some medic, un. You look like shit, yeah."

Ino blinked twice. "Excuse me?"

"Move, yeah. It should be not far away, we can walk."

"I look like what?!"

"Don't be such a cry-baby, yeah," and he began walking, ignoring the fuming girl behind him. If she didn't follow, he could always say something ate her on the way with his conscience clear.

A half an hour walk in silence later, they reached the closest clinique Deidara knew of in the region. Ino glanced longingly at the tea-house beside it, but he wanted to hear nothing of it and dragged her into the building.

"Why hello, young ones!" the receptionist, and probably a medic herself, greeted them upon entrance.

Ino sent her a pale smile. She really wasn't feeling too good. Not only the technique she used earlier was still making her feel dizzy, but also the poison those idiots injected her with was still making itself known.

The medic came towards her immediately. "Kami, girl, you're so pale. What's wrong? Come, I'll see what I can do for you. Your sister can wait in the tea-house," she smiled at Deidara and turned back to Ino.

Deidara's eyebrow twitched.

'Breathe.'

'Breathe.'

'SISTER?!'

When Ino left with the medic, unaware of the offence, definitely taken, he dug his hand into the sack with clay. 'Sister… What the hell?' He blew his fringe away from the eye and focused on the little figurine that his hand created.

He smiled to himself, and closed his eyes, calming himself down and waiting for them to come out.

"Alright, you can get dressed," he heard after a while, just before the door opened. "This should fix you up in no time."

"Yeah, thanks ma'am."

"She'll be fine," medic said to Deidara.

"How much do we pay for medicines?" he asked.

'Not that it really matters.'

"Oh, nothing, she's such an adorable girl, and I only gave her a herbal tea."

"Can't be," Deidara smiled wildly. "At least take this as a token of our appreciation. It's a real luck we found a medic for her," he passed a statue of a dog to woman, whose eyes flashed brightly.

"It's adorable!" she exclaimed.

'Oh, yes.'

"Oi, nee-chan, are you coming?"

Ino came out and threw him unsure glance, but then just followed him out of the house.

"Why didn't you tell her that…"

But Deidara wasn't paying attention. He formed the seal and the jutsu words were followed by a loud BANG.

"Because this is a lot better, un!" he laughed and looked back at what was left of a clinic.

Ino's jaw dropped. "B-b-b-b-b…"

He took the stick from the ground and in one swift movement rendered her unconscious. "Nothing personal, just tired of being nice," he said and summoned his bird back, loading her on the top.

-:-

"I am NOT eating this! Are you deaf?!"

Deidara stopped and frowned upon hearing the wild scream from the living room of their current hideout. The scream was soon followed by pissed off Hidan.

"This shit's gettin' fucking worse!" he said, "She won't even fucking eat a bloody donut anymore!"

"I'm not hungry!" Konan yelled from the inside of the room. Both men went back inside.

"You have to eat, damned woman, or Pein's gonna fucking rip us apart if you die while he's been away."

"Either you stop whining or I'll rip you apart! Kakuzu, give me the damn report already and go take an aromatic bath before I vomit from your sea-food stench."

"Suffer woman, I'm not going to spend a broken coin for buying perfumes. It's a female's job."

"Hey! Watch your mouth!" Deidara huffed.

"What are you? Having PMS?"

"Get out!" Konan's scream stuffed the retort back into Deidara's throat before it even came out. "Both of you, go fight elsewhere! Hidan, you stay and finish the damn report. Please," she added in calmer voice.

Deidara threw a glare at Kakuzu and they both left the room, closing the door behind them.

"She was in a lot of pain earlier," said Kakuzu on the hallway. "Itachi had better find something in Konoha to help her or she's in for hell on Earth, I swear."

"He has some scrolls from the mansion, but since the Hokage works at the hospital herself, it's too risky to rummage through medicines, yeah."

"You've got the brat?"

"Yeah, hopefully he'll make him cooperate. That snake is planning something, I can feel it in my very bones."

"Yeah, and my stitches squeak at the very thought, hehe. Move, there's lunch ready in the kitchen."

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

"Untie me," I hissed, glaring daggers at the man standing above me. But even though my body screamed anger, my mind screamed… fear. I don't remember when I felt scared for the last time, but facing my brother, laying defenceless on the bed, that broke some wall.

I looked at my hands, wishing for any jutsu to help me escape, but I realized they were useless. Dressed in some kind of woollen bags. What the fuck?

"Stop looking for an escape, for there is none," his calm voice sent chills down my spine. He walked around the bed to face me, without me lifting my head. "We need to talk."

I growled. "I may have agreed to stop my hunt after you, but I never said anything about talking."

"Why do you think you're tied up, Sasuke? I assumed as much. For me, you are as predictable as a little child," he pushed aside a strand of hair that fell onto my eyes, but for me it felt as if he stabbed my skin with needles. "Always so caring for the dead, so often more than for those still walking this world."

"Re. Lease. Me."

"Oh, what's the matter, otouto?" he asked in silky tone that made the remnants of my courage fall in pieces. "Don't like to have someone with power over you?" his fingers brushed gently over my eyes. "Power. Such a funny thing, don't you think so? The one thing we both chase. One could call it our curse. But now, here you are, power flowing through your veins," his hand wandered down and touched the cursed seal. I hissed again. "And yet only from my mercy. On a mere whim, I could have everything I've wanted for long, long time. Don't close those precious eyes of yours, Sasuke, I almost forgot how they look."

He was talking and I wanted to answer him, I wanted to scream and yell and swear. Curse to hell. But all I could do was fight the trembling that threatened to take over my body. That was true, I was in his mercy, yet still I refused to obey his command. I shut my eyes tightly, desperately trying to find a way to escape him.

"And you are no less stubborn then I remember," he said. "Look at me."

No.

No, I'm not a terrified child anymore. I will no longer be the one to hear his requests and blindly follow them, whether it was out of love and devotion or fear and despair.

He straddled me and I felt his hand turning my head to face him. "I'm not going to hurt you, little brother. I want to speak with you, because I have an offer, beneficial for us both."

He leaned forward to reach the ropes behind me and cut one part of it to reach the chakra stream. I felt my heart dying inside my chest. The smell… of rain and berries, I remembered it so well…

But he is not my brother. This monster is not the person I loved. My Itachi died along with the rest of my family. I dismissed the child still lingering deep inside my psychic. He was the only one who could bring it back and I cursed him for it. That side of myself was making me weak.

And I had to be strong. I had to be.

Water dripped from his hair, falling onto my face, freezing cold, when it met with my burning skin.

He straightened, with one hand holding one string of the rope and channelling his chakra through it.

But even if he didn't, I doubt I could find any strength to run away now. I was paralyzed by fear, but also something else was making my body feel numb.

"Did you poison me?" I asked.

"No. The one who did is dead now. "

"Who?" I asked. Were there any more freaks chasing after me?

"Lackey of your snake master," he said and I didn't miss the disgust in his words.

Orochimaru… Of course. My time was almost over, I should have expected an attack. But how did he get so close to me unnoticed? And I had Ino with me.

Right, Ino.

"The girl," I asked, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

"She's safe. If I were you, I would worry more about myself. The little dose of antidote I gave you brought back your consciousness. But you won't be able to go far before it takes another toll."

"You have the antidote? Give it to me!" I demanded for a second forgetting who was on top in here.

He smirked. "And what will you give me back for that?"

"Just fucking give me the antidote."

"Talk to me," he said. "Listen to what I have to say without making me have to immobilize you further."

"Fine."

He pulled out a little vial from the pocket on his belt and unlocked it. It smelled like the worst kind of medicines Kabuto was serving me after training with Orochimaru's poisoning snakes. He supported my head and let me drink the liquid, the familiar cold sensation filled my body.

"Get off me. I'm not going to run."

"And I'm not taking any chances."

"What do you want?"

"'What do you want?' Allow me to ask. I found Kisame's body. Before burning it, I noticed there was no ring. And I found it on you."

So the body was burned before I even wanted to do it.

"If I am so predictable to you, tell me yourself," I said.

"You want to help Kyuubi's vessel come back to life, don't you?"

I narrowed my eyes. "What makes you think so?"

"Because there is only one thing, foolish little brother, that would make you forget about your vengeance, kill your hatred and go as far as working with the Akatsuki… Love."

Love.

"He is your best friend, he was your way to the power, to revenge. To Mangekyou. And yet, you could never kill him. Nothing else stood in your way. Not your village, not your beliefs, not even your morality. You were ready to throw your life away for the snake to devour if only that could lead to my death. Yours, but not his. And all that makes it the only logical reason."

He was right. I knew he was right, but only when it was spoken aloud did it make any sense.

He wiped the drop of antidote that escaped my lips and I stiffened again under his touch.

"Why are you so afraid of me?" he asked. "If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it already. And yet, you're so insecure, so tense."

"I never know what's on your mind," I said. I was used to reading peoples body language, taking that information and using it for my gain, but he showed nothing I could understand. "It's driving me insane."

Suddenly he leaned down and whispered in my ear, "You don't want to know that, Sasuke. You really, really don't."

For once I believed him.

He pulled out a kunai and cut my restraints. I rubbed my abused wrists and ripped off those freaky sacks.

"There is a way to give him a permanent physical form," Itachi said. "And I can offer you everything Akatsuki has that would help you achieve it."

"And what in exchange?" I asked. I had no delusion that there would be no price to pay.

He stood up and kneeled before the cabinet standing under the back wall. He took some scroll off the drawer and came back to me.

"I need you to leave Konoha for eight months," he said. "Best, by Hokage's permission, but I understand that can prove impossible. This," he showed me a scroll, "is the only copy of a jutsu capable of destroying the spirits of Naruto and Kyuubi. If you agree to leave, I'll give it to you, to ensure you he's safe from our side."

"Why should I believe that's the only copy?" I asked.

"I have no reason to lie to you, Sasuke. For us, Kyuubi is lost and so is another, if I may guess. That's the sign of my good will, because we will both need tons of it in the nearest future."

I frowned. "Stop talking in riddles. What about those eight months? What will the Jinchuuriki and the extraction ritual cost me?" I asked, stressing the two things I demand from the Akatsuki, even though it was obvious he already knows what I need.

"Your good will and your body."

"Precise, if you mind," I said.

"I will, but not now. It's nearing morning, and I want us to leave by dusk. Take care of your business back in Konoha. I'll meet you in the estate when the time's right. I do not wish to risk you getting dragged to Sound too early."

"Hn. It's a deal then," I said, tempted to look into his eyes and search of any signs of deceit, but I was too scared to try. Even though I felt he was not really going to harm me now. I just glared in his general direction.

"Don't throw me that look, Sasuke, for I'm no bigger a devil than Orochimaru. And you had no problems dealing with him."

He had a point.

I really should go and finally stay on the dark side. It's doing everything to lure me. Soon they're gonna offer me cookies.

-:-

**A/N:** Review please and ignore the OOC cookies in the end!


	25. Every Damn Thing

**A/N:** Hello, cookie lovers! (hands out a few to every reviewer and a big pack to JadeOokami for bravely fighting all her grammar mistakes). Enjoy this light chapter for darker times are ahead.

**Snaz **– yup, it's from there :D I find it hilarious, couldn't help myself.

**Hawk wing - **a lot xD Or at least a little more. But it's slowly getting somewhere closer to the end of the biggest mess, that I can assure you.

Uh, those chapters are getting long.

**-Chapter Twenty Five-**

_- Every Damn Thing –_

**Sasuke's POV**

I was in Konoha before the day fully conquered the night. Itachi had obviously brought me back quite a ways to hide me in their little enclave in Fire Country territory. I had a feeling I'd lied there unconscious for longer than it seemed to be to me, but he didn't share that information with me. Guards threw me suspicious, scrutinizing looks upon entering, as if I was expected to carry some exploding materials to blow Konoha up or worse.

Trust is a delicate thing, so easy to lose, yet so hard to regain.

That's what always made me wonder about Naruto. How could he welcome me with open arms every time I screwed up? He never held a grudge, never blamed me for those serious things? And where was the point which, after crossing, his trust would be no more?

Eight months. For eight months I had to leave again and I know I can't tell him that or he would follow me to the end of the world. He was a ghost, so tying him up to a tree or something else was out of question.

And just as with that, I knew I would never tell him that I'll do this mainly for him. I didn't really mind it anymore, him being bound to me. It wasn't as troublesome as it sounded, and, if well played, I could make him do every bidding of mine.

But he loved life too much. And no matter how hard, or how long I tried to deny it, he's still my friend. Itachi was right, I'd do every damn thing for those I love. And if I loved anyone it was that moron.

If I can't kill him, I'll bring him back to life.

I opened my room with the small key the Hokage gave me. It was more than obvious to me that she wanted me to stay in the mansion under her watchful eye instead of letting me run off to my house. Enough said, I could be closed in a dungeon or some sort of cell. The room I had was as big as many apartments in Konoha, so I had nothing to whine about.

Not that Uchihas whine anyway.

As soon as I entered, the rapid shiver took over my body and wouldn't let go.

"Dobe, stop touching me, it's freaking cold!"

It left but when I came, refreshed, out of bathroom, it attacked me again.

I sighed and lit the chakra for him.

"Sasuke!" he screamed and I had a feeling he would jump on me had he had his body.

"What the hell, Naruto? I'm tired and you assault me with your demands. And why the hell did you go to Sound the anyway, Usuratonkachi?!"

"To get to know how much time you have left before that gross… oh my, I still need to vomit… Can you give me a body so I can finally vomit?"

I blinked a few times in confusion. "You're dead, idiot. You don't need to vomit."

"Sure, says you! Where have you been, I've been worried sick and…"

"Shut up. I'm asking the questions first. Why did you go to Sound?" I repeated, gritting my teeth. I didn't like to ask twice.

"To know how much time you have left before Orochimaru will try to put his hands on your body. He still wants it, you know that, right?"

"Of course I know, idiot. He was trying to snatch me already."

"W-what?"

I sighed. "Relax, idiot. I'm here, right? And I'm Uchiha Sasuke, I can assure you."

"He would say just the same," he narrowed his eyes at me and I felt my eyebrow twitch.

"Shouldn't I be planning destruction of Konoha instead wasting my time with you if I were that damn snake?!" I snapped at him barely holding the chakra channel intact.

"Well… maybe… anyway… Kabuto told him he can stay safely in his current body for two more months. In that time he wants to have you."

Two more months? That was certainly unexpected yet very lucky.

"I see. And you went there only to get to know that?"

"Yeah. But I've seen something else too…"

I raised my eyebrow. He was silent, so after a while I asked to urge him: "And that would be? Stop throwing me cliffhangers, speak like humans do."

He pouted. "Must you always criticize every damn thing I do?"

"Yes. You annoy me."

"Hey, that was supposed to be Sakura's insult!"

"You annoy me more."

"I hate you sometimes, bastard. And Orochimaru has some plans for Jinchuuriki."

"Ah, those…"

"Ah those?" He parroted me. "What do you mean by 'Ah those?' "

"I mean that I know what he plans. He wants to implant the bijuu's power into my body after he has it for himself."

"And you're saying this with such calm?!" he yelled.

"It's not gonna happen. Why should I bother?"

Oh I bother, alright. But not about Orochimaru. His technique is of great interest to me though. But telling that to Naruto would be suicidal. He was like a loving bubble of fluff to all those unfortunate souls made vessels to demons.

"You're so sure, Sasuke. I hope you're right too."

"Stop worrying about me. You're pale even half-transparent."

He snorted. "Says the monochromatic one. I'll use Gaara's make-up and you'll make the perfect friggin' panda! You're all black and white already!"

My teeth almost broke after hearing that. "What the fuck, Naruto?"

"You. Look in the mirror and get yourself some tan," he said returning my glare. But suddenly his expression softened. "I was really worried about you and I'm just happy you're fine," he said softly. "You're not hunting after Itachi anymore, right?"

I closed my eyes and sighed. "Why must you bring it up again?" I asked.

I was still confused. I've lost my life goal. All my feelings went into some kind of rage inside me. Hate, sorrow, relief and gods know what else.

"Because I've dreamt of him. And you. He was hurting you, Sasuke. Your scream still rings through my ears. Please, don't chase him…"

I would leave that unnoticed, he cared about me, he had a nightmare. That happens. But then his spectral hand reached to my eyes, as if to stroke them.

"They're too precious to lose, you know."

What? How can he know what Itachi needs?

"Why would I lose my eyes, Dobe?" I ask him, trying to sound as if I have no idea what he's saying. Had Tsunade told him about my clan's little dark secret?

"I don't know, really, Sasuke," he answered. "But I saw you hurt and blind. And he was there, his hands covered with blood. And then I heard you scream, even though I couldn't see anything anymore. It's a dream, I know I'm being silly, but still…"

"Yes, you are. Forget about it."

"Hey, don't be so harsh, I'm only worried!"

"About an idiotic dreams of yours."

Yes. Idiotic dreams. But why exactly before I'm leaving with Itachi? And why about the eyes?

"I'm going to sleep now. When I wake up, there's something we must do," I said and took my hand away from him.

Funny how sleepy can one be after spending too many hours laying in one place.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

I finally calmed down. Those hours since I came back from Oto, till the moment I saw Sasuke a torment. I realized he had permission to leave because everyone was acting calmly. Well not Ino, who came back to Konoha zombie-faced and refused to talk to anybody about the case.

Deciding to go to sleep as well (though Kyuubi insisted that it's not really sleep but a meditation something) I nestled myself somewhere in midair.

Damn, I missed the feel of a warm bed, quill I could bury myself in and a pillow. Yes, I definitely missed a pillow. And my pyjamas. Sleeping in those had a totally different taste for some reason. But even if I shaped the chakra to form some other type of clothes, that dumb jumpsuit would be back here as soon as I stopped thinking about it.

Why couldn't I be more creative in my life? I'm sure that if I knew I was going to be stuck in some clothes for eternity, or at least Sasuke's lifespan, I would wear something else.

-:-

I was awoken by a loud noise I soon recognized as some loud jutsu.

"Wake the hell up, Dobe," said the noise maker. "If you're here asleep that is," he added muttering silently.

I chuckled at him. I guess I would feel a little psychotic never knowing if I'm talking to myself or not. Poor bastard. I let him know I'm present.

"Good," he said when I became visible to him. "There's something we have to do. But you'll need your physical form for that."

Something jumped inside me and I rubbed the back of my head, smiling like an idiot. "I-I don't think that's such a great idea."

He raised an eyebrow.

I felt like sighing. Of course, he didn't remember anything. He was acting perfectly normal the entire time and that only confirmed it. For some reason it made me feel sad.

"Naruto, I know I acted weird last time, but you knocked me out before anything happened. I had some time to think about it and I can say, I'm almost sure this time, I'll have more control over myself. Hopefully big enough to continue with what I want you to do."

"Oh, hehe, okay, if you say so," I said trying to sound confident. "Let's do it then, dattebayo!"

Oh well, who am I trying to fool? He was a freaking genious. His inquisitive gaze told me he didn't buy that.

"I'm missing some part of my memory, aren't I?"

"Yeah… kinda…" I admitted. "Do ya want to know?"

"Do you want to tell me?" his reply surprised me.

Did I?

"No."

How could I tell him that? How would he even react?

"Then I don't want to know."

That surprised me even more. "Aren't you going to pry that from me?" I surely would. Damn, I would give up ramen for a whole month just to know something someone wouldn't like to tell me!

"No," came another simple answer, his eyes not for a moment leaving mine which started to make me feel awkward. If he always had an intense look, this one now was boring holes in me.

"Why?" I couldn't help but ask. "The Sasuke I knew would never let me off the hook like this."

"I trust you."

"Uh?" I asked smartly. "I mean, I mean I'm happy that you do, but… what does it have to do with prying?"

"I trust you have a reason not to tell me."

Yeah. One called cowardice.

"You just want me to tell you without you seeming curious, don't you?" I asked narrowing my eyes at him.

"No, I don't."

I had to admit one thing – I envied his composure. He could probably pretend to be a statue and no one would notice. Nothing I ever said could make him show any emotions if he decided to stay stone-faced. Me on the other hand? I'd spend half my life fanning all my limbs around and not try to constraint myself not to look like even a bigger idiot.

"Yes, you do!"

"Well, tell me if you want that so. I'll listen."

Damn him. I wanted him to demand of me to tell him so I could do so knowing he won't let me go. I wished to be forced to spit it out and then live with consequences, because I knew I can't tell him that from my own initiative.

"I think I don't want to really…"

"Then don't, Naruto. I mean it."

"What if I did something wrong?" I asked him, knowing I sound desperate. It felt so… wrong to keep that from him. "What if I did something…"

"You didn't stop me at all, did you?"

"What?" I blinked at him, at first not fully comprehending what he said. "I… yes?"

For a moment there was silence and I felt my heart racing wildly. Will he turn that chakra off? Will he hold a grudge? Will he despise me for that?

I never in my life remember having so many insecurities about one thing, but the fragile friendship I had with Sasuke… I couldn't risk him leaving again. Not because of something I did.

"Sasuke..?"

"Shut up," he snapped at me, closing his eyes, one hand resting on his forehead.

"Sasuke… I'm so sorry…"

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

I couldn't remember a thing even though I tried. But he kept talking and the moment I thought I had something, it escaped me.

"Shut up," I said, but it was gone for good.

I had no reason not to believe him, and seeing how he acted it was obvious.

"Sasuke… I'm so sorry…" he said.

I looked back at him. In his blue eyes I saw pure panic. "Why didn't you stop me?" I asked him. "I told you you could."

"I know. I didn't because I didn't want to. I was selfish, I know, but it felt… good, you know. I'm sorry I did that to you, but I'm not sorry that it happened," he said it all in one breath. I barely caught all the spurted words, as if he was afraid the courage would leave him and he wouldn't be able to finish.

"What are you so afraid of?"

"Don't you mind, Sasuke? Won't you lecture me, blame me, tell me you want nothing to do with me? Tell me it was wrong?"

I laughed.

"You idiot. Why should I blame you when once in a lifetime you actually acted in a way I can understand? For once doing something you felt like doing, not caring about what others think or feel?"

"I'm not you, Sasuke. I care a hell of a lot for what you feel and that's why I'm so fucking scared!" he yelled at me and I smirked.

"I feel nothing. I remember nothing. If that's what bites you, you may let it go."

My own words made me feel weird. Because they were true. I really felt nothing, but something deep within my mind was telling me I should. I should feel doubts or happiness, annoyance or satisfaction. Anything. And I shouldn't need memories for that.

"This wasn't your first time, was it?" He asked suddenly and I frowned.

Where did that came from?

"That's ridiculous, Dobe. I'm not talking with you about my sex life."

He stuck his tongue out at me. That idiot.

"Just tell me one thing, please. Was it from love?"

I glared at him but I knew how damn persistent could he be. "Yes," I answered him. "I guess it was."

He nodded, but I saw some kind of emotion flicker in his eyes, I couldn't tell which one. "Is that one still alive?"

"She is."

"So it's a woman?"

"Enough, Dobe. I said I'm not going to talk to you about that."

He sighed. "Okay, bastard… But are we fine then?" his eyes gleamed with hope.

"Yes. Now…" I said and walked over taking Samehade and lying it on the bed. "Make yourself physical."

"What are you planning anyway?" he asked me.

"You'll see. Do it."

He did, and I felt the chakra reserves stored inside me being sucked away, producing the weirdest feeling not comparable to anything else I've felt. But this time I kicked the feeling out of my mind focusing at keeping my senses intact, moving my chakra inside my body in an organised manner, calming myself down.

"I'm done," I heard him say after a moment.

I opened my eyes and indeed he was there, standing fully material like last time, but I felt calm. Desire was boiling in me, but I managed to block it, hopefully making myself able to keep my memories as well.

"You're okay?" he asked me.

"Yeah, I think so," I said, leaning on the cold wall. "Try taking the sword."

"What?"

"Sword. That big thing on the bed. Try grabbing it."

"It's bound to you," he objected. "It'll tear my hand to shreds."

"You're bound to me too, idiot. Yours and Kyuubi's chakra is flowing through my system and vice versa. Try it."

"Okay, okay, don't snarl at me!" he pouted and walked over to the sword. "Just remember that being dead and kind of immortal doesn't make me immune to pain and all."

I smirked at him and pointed at the sword. "You've had worse."

He closed one eye and grabbed the handle. Nothing happened. Perfect.

"You can store inside a nice bit of chakra," I told him. "That will make you able to bring yourself into your body, but you'll have to refill it after. It's like it was hungry for it, so channelling your force inside it will be enough."

"You mean now I have to hunt people down and suck their chakra?"

"Yes, Dobe. First, I'm not your baby-sitter. Second – I'm leaving."

Three seconds of silence and there came a yell.

"LEAVING?!" his mouth opened and closed few times in a row without more words coming out.

"Yes, leaving. Samehade will stay here, so you're not condemned to running around, unable to do anything. If you disappear without it loaded, that's not my problem though."

"Wait… wait a moment, what the hell do you mean by leaving?!"

"Is your brain stuck at one word or are you listening to what I'm saying?"

"You're not going anywhere!" he hollered.

"Tough luck, Naruto, you can't stop me," I said.

He was about to take a step towards me but I halted him. "Don't. I'm not THAT much in control yet."

"Sasuke…" his expression changed. "Sasuke, please don't leave again! You can't do that... You have no reason to leave, you're not chasing after Itachi anymore, you said it yourself!" he paused for a second, eyebrows meeting in deep frown. "Oh…"

"Oh?" I echoed. "What oh?"

"You have revived your clan?"

"What?!"

What the fuck?

"You're leaving to go to this woman, right? And maybe a child?"

I felt my eye began to twitch uncontrollably.

Correction.

Both of them.

"Are you completely nuts, Dobe?! I have no wife and definitely no children!"

"Oh… I thought I was gonna be an uncle…" he said but there was no mirth either in his eyes or the voice.

"Usuratonkachi, I'm leaving but I'm coming back. I can give you my word on that."

"Can't you take me along? It's so cold when you're away, you know. That bond, it makes me need to stay close not to freeze in my own little dimension..."

"I can't, Naruto. And I ask you not to follow me. I know you could do this in your spiritual form and I wouldn't know, but I believe you have enough decency not to, when asked. Promise me, you won't follow," I demanded knowing that if he does, I can trust he'll keep his word.

He was silent.

"Promise me that, Naruto."

"And you promise me that if you were ever leaving Konoha forever to live with your family, you'll take me with you."

"It's your home here, Naruto. It's where you belong."

"Promise me you'll give me a choice."

"I promise," I said.

"Alright, I won't follow you. You're not going to do something stupid, are you?"

Utterly stupid. Multiplied by at least three times normal stupidity.

"No. I have to close one chapter of my life and I'll be back."

Blind or not. I knew only that I had to try and bring him back. Risk was my everyday meal.

"Let's see how you handle the sword," I said and we went outside.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

"_I am an emissary from Suna. I'm here to see your Kage," I said to the man guarding the door to the building._

"_Last time I checked there was alliance between Suna and Konoha. I think you should turn back and head to your home," the man said throwing me a nasty smile of superiority._

"_Alliances are being made and fall apart when the better opportunity arises. I don't think your master would be thrilled to lose one so beneficial."_

"_Alright, show me the letter."_

_I handed him a scroll Gaara gave me. That was as far as lies could take me, I doubted the most trusted of minions wouldn't see through this lame façade._

_The door opened before me and the guard pointed me in the right direction to the Sound Kage's chamber. The corridor was dark. He didn't need that much light anymore._

"_So you came," I heard the familiar voice from inside the room at the end of the hallway._

_The light was turned on and I saw him, leaning against the wall, his hand on the light switch._

_Sasuke._

_I looked into his mismatched eyes, the silver one squinting, hurt by the brightness that filled the room._

"_Of course I came, Sasuke. I'll always come. This is not your place, stop this circus and come back home as you promised me."_

_A sad smile adorned his lips. "There are promises better broken," he said. "You chase after me, because your mind tells you it's right. You don't want it anymore, Naruto. You should leave."_

"_That's bullshit!" I yelled, feeling anger floating me. "I want you to come more than anything! It was not your fault, everything was not your fault so just forget it and come back, Sasuke. Please come back."_

_There I was again, one more time begging him to come home. But I could do nothing more, I couldn't drag him back, I couldn't force him. If I had to beg, so be it. Everything, just to have him back…_

"_Can you forget it?" He made a step forwards and my body backed away. "Look at yourself. There are wounds that can't be healed. There are things that can't be forgotten."_

"_I don't care, Sasuke. You know that. I still love you, nothing will ever change it. I loved you all this time and I'll fight it, and I'll win, as long as you come back!"_

_He sat on the desk and I saw the amulet shining on his neck. He noticed where my eyes lingered._

"_You know… tables turn. There was a time when it was me, who was helpless. I watched my family die and could do nothing to help them. I watched you die, and it was just the same. Now it's you who is powerless, because, Naruto, it's too late."_

"_It's not too late! Damn it, Sasuke, you're not the monster you see yourself as!"_

"_Am I not? Maybe you'd like to talk to two of your Hyuuga friends?"_

"_W-who?" my voice shook. "You know where they are?"_

_He laughed. But it was an evil laugh. "I have to admit Byakuugan is a fascinating subject to study. I may let you talk to Hinata for one last time. Tomorrow, she'll die, I'm afraid. But that should give me the most needed information."_

"_Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" I felt the tears gathering in my eyes. "Sasuke, how could you change like that? You were… different. Even after you came back from Orochimaru's that damned eight months ago, you were different. There was still you inside, but now… I can't see him. But I don't believe he's dead. I refuse to believe he's dead!"_

"_I was weak back then. I let myself be mislead by emotions, by feeling. All they ever gave me was pain, everyone I ever loved died or suffered. But that's over, I know better than that now. Is there anything more you wish to say? That would be rude of me to let you go through all this trouble of reaching me and let you go without hearing your whining."_

_I wiped the tears from my eyes. "What can I do to convince you, Sasuke? I'll do everything. Every damn thing you can think of, just give yourself, Konoha, me… one more chance. One fucking more chance and I promise you, you won't regret it!"_

"_You can do nothing, I told you. This is the last time we meet, Naruto. I've been waiting for you. I knew you'd come, and even though you may despise yourself, I still have great respect for you. That's why I gave you that opportunity. But from now on, you won't be able to find me. Go back to Konoha, and take care of the legacy of your father, and pray we'll never meet again."_

"_Legacy of my father? What do you mean?" I asked him._

"_You still don't know, eh?" he seemed amused. "Well, I'll spoil their fun, let's make it my goodbye gift for you. You're the son of the forth Hokage, Naruto," he took some scroll from his desk and threw it to me. "All you'd want to know is written here. And now… goodbye."_

_I felt a sharp pain on my leg and the last thing I saw was a small viper biting down on my flesh._

_I awoke somewhere in the forest, with a note on my chest. "You're back in the fire country. Konoha is five miles to the south."_

_And that was it._

_That was the end._

_I knew I wouldn't find him if he wished so. I was there! I was there and I could do nothing! Tears flew in streams from my eyes, my body trembled from sobs, sorrow, and the feeling of loss._

_I flipped the note to the other side, where I saw some ink traces._

"_I love you too. Farewell."_

-:-

I shot up from my sleep and looked frantically around, images flaring in my mind, vivid, real.

Sasuke was nowhere in sight.

He left.

It was nearing morning. Not thinking at all I used the chakra in Samehade and not waiting a second, grabbed it and darted out of the room straight into Baa-chan's bedroom. Hell knew I had no time to think about not disturbing a lady in her sleep. I barged into her room and ran over to the bed. I shook her harshly.

"Baa-chan! Wake up! Wake up!"

Her eyes shot open in terror. "Naruto?! What the hell are YOU doing HERE at THIS TIME?!" she screeched sitting up.

"Who was my father? Tell me!"

"Naruto, what the hell happened?"

"Who was my father? Was Yondaime Hokage my father?!"

"Naruto, I…"

"Just tell me, please."

"How do you know… I never, I meant… I'm…" she shook her head, sleep still on the surface.

"It doesn't matter right now," I said. "It's okay, I'm sure you had your reasons not to tell me. I don't hold any grudge," I spurted out quickly, I didn't want her to be bothered and then I sprung out of the room and made a wild run towards the gates and through them.

It wasn't just a dream. I couldn't know it. I couldn't know it!

"SASUKE!!" I yelled running like a madman through the forest.

'Don't be too late, don't be too late…'

"SASUKE!!"

But no answer came to me.

I was too late.

-:-

**A/N: **Hope you liked it.

I'm curious, how do you feel about ItaSasu, folks? It's quite controversial and therefore I wonder. If anyone's into it, you may take a look at the little one-shot I've committed.

Oh, and review please! They really make my day :)


	26. La Haine, La Haine

**A/N:** Hi folks. I guess this chapter can be understood in two different ways. Take it the way you like it. There's no SasuNaru in it, it's for the plot and character development on both sides.

If I remember correctly from reviews (not for the last chapter only, for all of them) there are about 2 persons who can get one big thing from it if they try and follow their theories :P

**NOTE:** After the newest things I've learnt from the spoilerish DA about Itachi I have no real idea how to write him IC (bad, good, insane, lifeless?). So I did it my own way. Mind the circumstances that make them both act differently. Common goal always makes differences matter less. Shared past and family make logic be forgotten.

Also – two chapters (this one and the following) are about the events that happen during one month time. From the beginning, middle and the end. Time is not really that important, don't compare days in Sasuke's and Naruto's POV.

And I assume that every more powerful ninja knows absolute basics from medical jutsus… Come on, it's only logical to be able to give the first aid, many people in our world can do so without true medical training. I'm just comparing our skills to what they could do with chakra.

**-Chapter Twenty Six-**

_- __La Haine, La Haine –_

**Sasuke's POV**

I went to the forest to gather firewood for the camp. We were two days away from Konoha, yet I still didn't know where we're headed, just that we're moving in direction of Earth Country. Did it really matter anyway? I was here on business and I decided that until he requested from me whatever I was needed here for I'm going to just shut myself down and endure it. He told me it'd be month, then our ways will separate.

A month with that man. I suspect that even if he doesn't slaughter me in my sleep to complete his great massacre, I'm going to pass out from neurosis or another mental disease.

I came back and began to arrange the wood on a pile. He was playing a flute. It was scaring me. Everything he did was scaring me, because it had nothing to do with killing (excluding our dinner), casting his jutsus or plotting. That was what I made him look like in my mind when I was just a kid and tended to that image till last days.

But they was he acted was shattering that image. I could see human in him.

Worse.

I could still see my beloved older brother. The way he moved, ate, picked leaves from the random trees and threw them to the wind.

"Sasuke," he said suddenly and I flinched.

"What?" I asked keeping my eyes down on the wood, even though the fireplace was pretty much ready.

"Look at me."

"Not going to happen."

He came over to me and crouched. "Sasuke," he took my chin into his hand and forced me to life my head. I closed my eyes. "Open your eyes."

His touch made me feel uneasy but I refused to show him again how scared I am of him for a second time. So I put on my best smirk. "I'm not that naïve child, you remember. I'm not going to let you fool me and torture me again. And as soon as we're done here I hope to never see you again."

He sighed at let go off me.

"It's going to be hard for both of us, Sasuke," he said, and set the wood on fire along with prepared rabbits. "But the whole point of this business we have here is to make you trust me."

I raised my eyebrow and burst into laughter. He HAD to be kidding me. "There's no way I will ever again trust you, Itachi. No way in hell. I'd given you all my trust once, all my love, I would've died for you and you threw it all away, ruined my life, destroyed my world, took away my childhood and innocence. How in the world can you expect me to EVER trust you again? Are you completely insane?"

I watched as he patiently began to grill the food in silence. I got the wood, my job was done for today.

It was quite a while before he spoke again. "You never asked where I'm taking you."

"I never cared."

"There's a hermit our family knew, he lives not far from the border of Rain, yet separates himself from the entire world. He doesn't know of anything that happened."

'He doesn't know you killed our family, you wanted to say.'

"Whatever."

"No, not whatever."

"Hn."

'Whatever.'

He passed me a stick with my dinner.

"We'll stay with him, he won't refuse me. But he's an old man, and years back I remembered him as a freak. He probably got worse by now."

"So why are we going there?" I asked, cursing myself for not bringing any salt along.

"There aren't many places two of us can go to and have peace without being recognized by every commoner."

"I see."

"At our pace it will take two days more to reach there. I hope he's still alive."

"Hn. I'll take the first watch."

"Fine," he said, but I was sure neither of us really slept those nights. Not because we feared what may come from the forest at night, but what may come from the other one.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

It was dawn when I stopped my wild run throughout the forest, finding no sign of Sasuke's presence. In the bodily form, the coldness was a little less stinging, but no matter how much I rubbed my arms and covered myself in my jumpsuit, it was impossible to feel warm, or even not feel temperature at all. And night wind wasn't helping at all.

An additional thing that made me feel bad was ambushing one unlucky Chuunin coming back from his mission to borrow his chakra. I had to be more careful than Sasuke since I had no Sharingan to erase the memory, but that wasn't near as troublesome as my remorse.

But the first thing on my mind was Sasuke. And if I had to play a vampire to be able to find him so be it. As long as no one died, that is.

By the dawn I finally fell under a tree and leaned on the rough bark. He was nowhere near and by now it was impossible for me to find him. Even Uzumaki Naruto had to believe something so obvious.

After some time spent on watching mindlessly the log laying before me I got up and began to march back into Konoha. It crossed my mind to go to the Sound again, but I couldn't believe Sasuke would actually be stupid enough to head there.

And besides, in the daylight my nightmare began to sound ridiculous. What with the father business and all, I didn't know, but I guess I could have heard something before or have it loafing around my subconsciousness and it decided to swim to the surface in form of a twisted dream.

Yeah, it had to be it.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

I was in awe observing as Itachi swiftly manoeuvred through the thick forest, never once losing a way, even though he was here for the last time as a child.

Suddenly he stopped and looked back at me, making me immediately turn my eyes away.

"It's possible we are being followed," he said. "Orochimaru had his spies on you and if any team was around the moment we left they are probably on our trace."

"Hn."

Obviously the reply was enough for him for he continued the walk. When the forest finally dispersed I saw the great field of fenced land, in the distance there was some kind of mansion.

"We're here," he said. "Tread carefully, there may be snakes or mice in the grass."

I threw him an incredulous look. "I am NOT afraid of snakes and mice."

He snorted. "You'll be afraid of our host if any of them gets harmed in any way."

"He's some kind of animal-loving freak?"

"Worse. Come," he said and waved at me to follow his trace.

So I did, watching under my feet not to end life of some poor critter. The smell in the air was astonishing, like we were in a huge flower garden and as we neared the villa I realized that, more or less, it was truth.

"Itachi?!" I suddenly heard elder man's voice. "This can't be!"

The door to the house opened and I saw a short man come outside and near my brother to close him in a tight hug. Something at the back of my head wanted to scream for him to be careful as if Itachi's body was about to spurt poisoned thorns and pierce him.

Was my psychic really in such a terrible shape?

But nothing came, the hermit let go of Itachi and his green eyes rested on me. "Who's that?" he asked. "You sure look similar."

I held back a grimace those word provoked. "Sasuke," I answered.

"He's my younger brother," Itachi added what just refused to come out of my mouth.

Hermit's eyes widened and he bowed to me in respect. "My name's Eda," he said. "It's an honour to meet another one from such a great clan."

I returned the bow and was sincerely expecting a question from the family of "how's your mother doing?" but none came. Instead he smiled and lead us into the house.

"So what brings you here?" he asked. "Looking for rest in the nature's hands?"

"Yes," came Itachi's answer. "We seek a place to stay for one month."

"You're always welcome in my house," Eda said and nodded to us to follow him up the wooden stairs. "This will be your room, bathroom is on the other side of the hallway. I think you remember the rules, Itachi."

He nodded.

Hermit looked back at me. "There's a big garden in the back of the house, you've probably seen in on your way here. You may help yourself with every fruit that fell to the ground. I will see no harming of the plants, that includes picking flowers, on my property, there's enough of those outside. Also, hurting any animal is out of question, so is burning the fire outdoors. I hope it's not too much to ask for."

I nodded. "I understand."

Eda bowed again and left to go tend to his gardens.

I fell on the slightly bigger bed, hells devour me if I'm going to let him have it. I was completely exhausted by our journey to this place and the abundance of flowery smell was making me a little dizzy. "Plants have no feelings," I muttered under my breath.

"We will obey his rules during out stay here. There's no better place to go to."

"Why is he so hospitable to almost complete strangers?"

"He's indebted to the Uchiha clan. But most of all he just perceives us as more intelligent animals and feels obliged to take care of us."

Perfect. If he tries to pet me, I'll bite his hand off like a good animal. Why is world so lacking sane, normal people?

Or rather – why is my life lacking those?

There came a knock on the door followed by our host's appearance. "I have some spare clothes I could offer you. Yours look more like rags."

That was true. Forest branches took care of them.

"It will be great," such pleasant words coming from Itachi's lips sounded utterly unnatural. But he was always a good actor and pretender.

"So what's the entire plan?" I asked my brother when the door closed.

"I'm going to train you. Before you snap at me, Sasuke, I'm not going to teach you how to fight. Your body is perfect, I believe you've reached my level. But your mind is a mess."

"You stay away from my mind!" I yelled suddenly feeling anger coming over me. "You're the one who made me fight with insanity knocking at my doors every damn day!"

"Calm down," he said sitting on his bed. "That's why it has to be me who'll work with you."

"Then you may as well forget about that plan of yours."

"I may, but what I want to do is even more beneficial to you. Not only you're about to get Akatsuki's help and Jinchuuriki to your own use, but the enemy of yours will die."

I smirked. "And why exactly are you offering me all that? What's so incredible I can do to kill him that whole brigade of S-ranked criminals with powers that make me cringe can't?"

"Trap him."

"Trap?"

"Even if he is killed in his body, he has a way to transfer himself into another and assure his existence until we can find and slay him again. It's like recurring disease, you may push it away, make it seem as if it's gone, but there will come a time it will strike again. And you Sasuke, are first on his "to do" list."

"So what do you suggest?" I asked him. I still found it hard to imagine that I could lose to Orochimaru, but Itachi was right. Either I stopped being stubborn and believe in miracles or soon I'll have a snake inside me.

"His mind is powerful, there's absolutely no denying that fact. And you have no chances to win over him in the battle of domination. But there is a ritual jutsu that can trap him and allow him to be killed. Once and for all, without possibility of killing his host and transferring to another one. I can perform it, but only with you."

I didn't like where it was going. "Why me? Can't you use some other Akatsuki?"

"Don't be a fool, Sasuke. You're closest being to me, same blood flows through your veins, no matter how much you deny it, same with the chakra. That makes a connection that can keep the jutsu going. But for that you will have to trust me. Completely."

I hid face in my hands. Could I do this? Could I even make myself TRY to do this?

"I know it will be hard," he said. "But it has to be done. Either you'll try it with me, or you'll never get your body back once it's taken."

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

I was sitting in silence in Sasuke's room, hoping that maybe for some reason he'll come back so I could tell him what I've seen and ask for his opinion and promise that he'll do everything to avoid that hell. But of course, that was stupid.

When the door opened I saw Kakashi entering the room.

"No knocking?" I asked my sensei and smiled at him.

"Ah, luck's on my side this morning," he said, putting his Icha Icha on the table. "I was hoping I'll be able to see you."

I wrinkled my nose at him. "I smell that you know something I don't," I said.

He laughed, his visible eye smiling. Hm, could I possibly sneak into his bedroom in my ghost form and see his face? That sure would work!

"I know only what I'll tell you. Sasuke came to me at night, told me about your deal with the sword," he glanced at Samehade. "He told me he's leaving, but he's not betraying Konoha. He probably assumed right that Tsunade won't let him go, but I talked with her today's morning and he won't be considered a missing nin."

"Oh," I smiled. Those words coming from Kakashi made me feel a lot better. He is the wisest man I know and if he says this is true, it has to be.

"But…," suddenly he was more serious. "What was it about in the night, Naruto? What about Yondaime?"

I sighed. "Nothing important, Kakashi-sensei. Just had a weird dream and woke up not fully awake, I guess."

"You knew about it before? Tsunade is worried, she wants to meet you as soon as she's done talking over the details of our keeping the Jinchuuriki for longer."

"Nah, I'm fine, Kakashi-sensei," I grinned. "Thanks for telling me about the Bastard."

"No problems. Now, I'm sorry I'm taking my leave, but I have an important matter to attend to," he saluted me and disappeared in the puff of gray smoke.

Just when I threw myself on the bed and was about to bury in the quill in desperate try to get some warmth, someone knocked at the door.

"Uh, who's there?" I asked trying to sound least like myself.

"N-Naruto-kun?" came the stuttering, barely audible reply.

I got up and ran to the door opening them to reveal Hinata.

"Hinata! What are you doing here?" I asked, ushering her inside.

She looked at me and funny as it was, her white eyes seemed to be even bigger than usual.

"S-so… it really is true!" she shrieked and, gods be my witnesses, jumped on my neck to hug me! "T-that's a miracle! I'm-I'm so hap-happy!"

I smiled widely and hugged her back.

"How did you learn I'm alive?"

"Hokage-sama ga-gathered all of those who knew you and t-told us," she replied, letting go of me, gleaming with mirth. "You may ex-expect tons of guests to-today, but I came f-first and Neji will come after. We're leaving soon, but I j-just wanted to say goodbye t-to you, Naruto-kun, because I don't know i-if we'll come back s-sooner than after a year."

"A year? Where are you going?"

"I-I'm going t-to train with Neji, a-and after w-we're going to spy."

"On Sound."

"Y-yes. How do you know?"

_Maybe you'd like to talk to two of your Hyuuga friends?_

_I may let you talk to Hinata for one last time. Tomorrow, she'll die,_

"Just a guess… "

Just when Neji stopped believing in destiny I had an urge to shove it down his throat and forbid them to go. But I knew that Baa-chan was to sceptic to believe anything I say about the future. Future can't be set. It's impossible.

Everyone would say so and I wished to tell myself same.

But was it really truth?

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

"Sit down, Sasuke, or you'll fall and bruise yourself. You will NOT manage to keep standing during the first time."

I crossed my arms over my chest. After overnight discussion with myself I decided to agree to this training of his but the first exercise wasn't looking to tempting. I had to give in to one of his genjutsus and that made me really nervous.

"I will," I said.

And smirked. Something weird was happening in this place. That overwhelming nature made me more relaxed, more alive. Lighter. I even feared Itachi less, he did nothing so far to hurt me, and I began to believe that he really wanted to sort Orochimaru's matter. But letting my guard down was still last thing I was happy about.

"As you will," he said and came before me, placing his hands on the sides of my head. "Relax now," he said. "I'll do nothing more but what I told you."

The moment I felt his chakra enter my head I screamed in panic.

"Sasuke," I heard his voice. "Calm down. I promised you to do nothing else."

I opened my eyes, shaking in fear, and looked around. But I saw no nightmares brought alive, only darkness, gray walls and moon above me, bathing the maze in silvery shine. I took a few deep breathes and began walking forward, left hand touching the walls, trying to find weak points to dispel them. One ray of the moonlight was extraordinarily bright. I had to reach it. But I couldn't, as long as I couldn't destroy the walls.

I braced myself and pushed one before me with my chakra. Few bricks fell down, but other than that it was still intact.

"Focus on the wall you want to break. Feel it, don't try to blow it up, try to absorb enough to let you pass."

"Shut up," I muttered. "I'll do it my way."

And I pounced the wall again with gathered chakra.

-:-

"Stood you did, eh?"

I finally got to the damn ray, but even though it was psychical play I felt completely exhausted. It took me a moment to realize where I was again and I lifted my head to look up at Itachi's triumphant smirk.

Alright, so I didn't make it as well as I thought. Happens to best. I felt his hands leave my head and support me as I got up, slightly embarrassed, and dusted off my knees. They hurt.

"How long did it take?" I asked, gazing at the sky. It was still bright, but I had a feeling the dusk is nearing.

"Long enough," he answered. "But in the end you'll be able to just walk through every wall."

"What is it exactly doing to me?" I couldn't help but be curious.

"Primarily, it helps you to feel that ethereal you in there better, to control the world around and use it the way you see fit. But it also teaches you how to escape my genjutsus. Once you've got a grip on the maze, I doubt there will be any else that could keep you for more than mere seconds."

"Aren't you afraid?" I asked.

"Of?"

"Me. Knowing how to escape your most powerful weapon would give me the great advantage if I decided to kill you."

He pulled out a kunai and I instinctively jumped away from his reach. He smirked and handed it over to me. "Take it," he said. "It's the only one I have here."

I took it. "Why?"

He sat down on the ground. "You can kill me now."

I snorted. "That's bullshit. You would pull some trick on me before I could swing this thing."

He laid down on the ground and gazed into the sky. "If you say so. We're done for today, you may go back home, just watch for the hamsters on the ground. I saw a couple running around here."

"Tch," I said, but instead of leaving I kneeled beside him, kunai in my hand and put it to his throat. I saw his muscles tense a little, but other than that he did nothing. I pushed the blade a little further, drawing blood. "Why?"

"Because if I won't trust you as well, we're both done for," he wiped the blood trickling down his neck and held up my face to look at him, smearing some of his blood on my lips.

This time I didn't close my eyes. I looked defiantly straight into his.

And he did nothing but smirk.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

'Am I paranoid, Kyuubi? I mean I know it was just a dream, but was it really?'

**I don't know, Kit. Surprisingly enough, I've never been dead before.**

'You're saying that being dead may make a psycho?'

**Alive people tend to say they are mediums and can look into the future. Not that I would believe them, but since you really have ****some unnatural circumstances at hand I can't say it's impossible.**

'I wouldn't believe it, but Hinata and Neji, they were never working together, dattebayo! And now they have a one year mission to fulfil. In Sound. In the dream Sasuke said something about eight months, right?'

**Don't ask me. I wasn't there.**

'But what about the eyes? Could it be same dream? What about the screams?'

**I don't know.**

'Yes you know something! It's in your voice!'

**Don't think about that one. It wasn't like the following dream, right? You don't remember every detail.**

'No I don't, but… Kyuubi? Kyuubi?'

His presence was gone. Damn that demon, just when I needed him! I huffed angrily and stood still for a while. Theoretically I could ask Tsunade-baa-chan, she probably would know whatever it was about. But if I asked for too much it was possible she would mistrust Teme again or even not let him back into Konoha. And that I couldn't allow. But most of all, she wouldn't know about most distressing thing while they could…

It's been over a month since I died. I could do this. The worst passed and besides… It was not like I wanted to contact those who captured and tortured me.

Just her.

I hoped there was a way to reach her. I didn't wait a while longer before running straight into the teahouse they met in last time. I reached it with another ninja's chakra on my conscience. I hoped Baa-chan and Kakashi-sensei would figure something out to explain those things…

I walked in and saw a lady resetting pillows. I winced at the herbal smell. I was never one for tea and all that. Ramen was thousand times better. Woman looked at me and smiled.

"Hello, young one, what do you need today?"

Somehow inside this room I felt a little less of that stinging cold. I looked around, could Sasuke be near? Nah, it couldn't be that. But I was sure that the chill was gone.

"Um, to be honest I look for a person not tea…" I almost asked for ramen but reminded myself I had no money on me.

"Person? Who do you look out for, hun?"

"A woman… She was here, I don't know if…"

"Ack!" I shrieked and covered my head with arms as something pecked me on the head.

"Miko!" Woman waved her hands above my head to shush something away. "I'm sorry, she doesn't usually react this way, I don't know what's got into her."

Her? I followed lady's gaze and saw nothing else but a black crow, sitting on the shelf and looking at me with golden eyes.

"No problem," I said and grinned towards the lady. "Guess she doesn't like me, hehe."

But just as to prove otherwise raven flew and seated itself on my shoulder.

And then it dawned on me.

It was the thing that took the coldness away and now radiated a delicate heat.

What the hell?

"But what woman do you look for?" she asked smiling when she saw I wasn't too offended by the crows presence.

I would say I was slightly scared, but I put that away.

"She, uh, has a blue hair?" How else I could describe her? "She was here, about half a month ago for sure, accompanied by a man."

She nodded and gazed at the bird.

"Who are you, kid? Do you know her?"

"Kind of. I really need to speak with her. I guess you have means to contact her then?"

"I was clearly instructed not to bother her unless someone of importance to her will request it."

I sighed. I didn't really want to throw my name back and forth while trying to contact Akatsuki. I felt terrible as it was, when no one knew about it.

But I am NOT a traitor, I only want Sasuke back and safe.

"Tell her I'm friend of the one she met back then. She'll know. Can you do this?"

"Yes, of course. You seem to know enough. Do you wish to stay here? She should reply soon, whether she'll meet you or not."

"I guess I can as well stay…"

It's not like they would look for me in Konoha. Worst that can happen they'll all talk to an empty room. Well tough luck. I grinned mentally at the image.

-:-

She agreed to meet with me. I stayed in the teahouse for the awaiting time, I didn't feel like talking to the other before I calm myself or have something real to do. I was getting more and more anxious because that dream was not faltering like every other. It was vivid, ever word as clear as if it really happened and engraved itself in my memory.

She came around midday, dressed in white, her hair hidden, as I suspected. I felt uneasy. She was one of those who killed me. I remember seeing her face when I was dying.

She waved at the owner to leave the main room and then came over to me.

"Uzumaki Naruto," she greeted.

"Konan."

When she sat down on the pillow I noticed how unnaturally pale she was.

"I guess it about Sasuke, isn't it?" she asked me. "Of course it is, there's no other thing in the world to make you contact us."

I nodded. Why deny what's obvious?

"I guess you do know something since you agreed to come?" I asked her, unable to hide hope in my voice.

"I may…" she winced. "Damn…"

"What's wrong?" I kneeled before her. If that's possible she paled even more.

"Nothing is wrong. I just…" her hand clutched onto the pillow.

"You're in pain, lay down," I reached for few more pillows and helped her rest on them. Her skin was burning. "I'll be right back," I said and before she could react I ran to the bathroom and brought a cold towel. I laid it on her forehead.

"You've got to be kidding me," she said, weakly. "I'm partially responsible for your death and you're helping me?"

"You're suffering… I can't stand around and do nothing."

"You should stand around and laugh. No wonder you were such an easy catch once Itachi decided to play Sasuke's card instead of just trying to capture you by force," she cringed in pain again.

"What's happening to you?" I asked ignoring her comment. "It's not just a fever."

I changed the side of the towel waiting for her reply.

"It happens to woman… with unique powers… at the certain circumstances… I'll live… But… Fuck!" she muffled a scream and some worse curses. "It'll pass in a moment…"

I understood and waited, biting down my tongue that wanted me to ask immediately what does she know about Sasuke. I saw that she began to relax after a while.

"I'll answer your questions," she said silently. "But you'll have to do something for me. Nothing wrong and treacherous, don't give me that terrified look, kid."

Oh, uf.

"What is it?"

"Go to Konoha and bring me this," she supported herself on the elbow and found some piece of paper in her pocket, handing it to me. "It's a medicine I need."

I look at the name. It told me nothing, but I was glad she gave it written to me. It had few syllables too many to memorize it.

"Sure," I said. "Should I go now? You'll be fine?"

"Yes, go. I'm not moving anywhere any time soon," one more grimace of pain appeared on her face before I was gone.

-:-

"Oi, Baa-chan!" I ran into her office and caught her with her nose deep inside the mug of sake, Shizune standing beside her trying to persuade her to read Kakashi's report.

"Naruto? What are you doing here?" she asked smiling at me. She definitely smiled at me more since I came back from the dead. Uh, partially, anyway.

"I need some medicine," I said, searching for the paper in my back-pocket when with a puff of smoke Kakashi came into the room.

"I'm sorry I'm late, I…"

Baa-chan's glare killed his story in a second. I should learn to glare like that…

Or not. After all, I was dead, and even if I could have my body for a while, I could never come back to being a ninja.

I will never again train with anyone.

I will never become a Chuunin, not to mention Jounin or ANBU.

I will never become a Hokage.

I felt a nasty sting in my chest.

"Now you wait," she snapped at him. "What medicine?" she turned to me.

I handed her a note. She read the name and a deep scowl appeared on her face.

"You have it, right, Baa-chan?"

"Yes, I do. But it's not for you, I hope you know it."

"Yeah, I do, I do. It's for a friend of mine," I rubbed back of my head grinning. Buy it. Buy it!

"How many dozes? Sixteen, seventeen?"

Eh?

"I have no idea…"

"Tch. Shizune, bring me seventeen."

"Hai!" Shizune hastily left the room, and she came back carrying a package with some pills.

She handed them to me. "Tell that friend of yours that if pain doesn't go away after taking second pill there's probably a serious conflict and she should go to the hospital or she may not make it. If you told me who it is it would make it easier though."

"Uh, she said she doesn't want everyone to know…" I said hoping that it was some kind of sickness you may want to hide.

"I see."

Bingo! Point for Uzumaki Naruto for cleverness! "Thanks a lot, Baa-chan. I'll go now."

"Yeah, off with you."

After I closed the door behind me I heard Kakashi ask. "Hinata?"

I stopped for a second to eavesdrop. What about her?

"No, Hiashi would have none of it. And she would definitely refuse to go on her mission. Besides, she was feeling fine. Your report, Kakashi. Now."

I shrugged and left.

-:-

"I forgot to tell you how to bring," Konan said as I handed her the box.

"There's seventeen."

"Perfect," she smiled, and took one.

"Hokage said something about the conflict that can be here if the pain doesn't stop after two dozes. It can be fatal."

"There's no conflict in my case. You brought me what I've asked, go on with your questions."

"Oh, yeah. I know it may sound weird, but… is there any reason why Itachi may want to… uh, gouge Sasuke's eyes?"

She raised a blue eyebrow, seeming a little amused by the question. "What gave you an idea?"

"Dream I had," I said, I didn't give a damn if that woman considered me crazy.

"There is a reason. But that doesn't matter, he's not planning to do that anymore. Circumstances changed."

"There is?" I echoed first words.

"Ask Sasuke one day, should you wish so. It's not my business to reveal their clan's ways. But I can assure you, Itachi won't take his eyes."

She sounded sincere. I guess all criminals do but what reason would she have to lie to me about that? It's not like I could do anything harmful.

"But when I called for you, you knew I'll ask about him. How? Do you know where he is? You knew he left, I'm almost sure of that one…"

"Yes, I knew," she admitted. "But I don't know where he went exactly."

"Is it possible he wants to take over the Sound?" I blurted out.

She frowned. "No. He'd rather burn it all down. If anything he hated Orochimaru and that he's revenge is no longer an option, he won't associate himself with that place."

"I guess it was just a dream again. Oh, do you have any paper? I have one more question, but I need to draw it."

She handed me a sheet out of nowhere along with a pen from a pocket. I focused and tried to remind myself two symbols I saw in the dream on my wrists. I tried to draw them, as similar to those as I could.

She took the paper and looked at the marks.

"I'm sure I saw this one somewhere before, although this one is a little different It looks like some kind of controlling jutsu mark, but the way it twists here," she pointed at some point, and I pretended I understand what she's got on her mind. "Makes me wonder. It looks like a mix of some techniques, altered to work on specific conditions. I'd say that it's you who should keep away from Sound and Orochimaru."

"Oh…"

"You saw those seals in your dream, yes?"

"Yeah."

"And you had no way to see them in any other place?"

I looked through my memories of spying in Sound. "No," I said. I was sure I saw no marks, seals or anything else there.

"It was everything but normal dream then. Those are surely forbidden seals, both of them. You wouldn't learn them in Konoha. And we never used them either, I probably saw them when Orochimaru was still in Akatsuki and then he modified them."

"Thanks…" I said. "I'll go now, I have to think. You'll be fine, right?"

"Yes."

I nodded and left the building.

It seemed that everything was only getting worse. But Itachi doesn't want Sasuke's eyes. That calmed me down a little. I could do nothing more than, but wait till he comes back and then we'll see.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

"I no longer wonder why Orochimaru never taught you to play anything…" Itachi said, as he leaned against the apple-tree observing my pitiful tries to play on his flute.

"Maybe you suck as a teacher?" I suggested and tried that damn melody once again.

"Not likely. You just don't hear when the tune is right, do you?"

I snorted and put the instrument away. I walked around the tree to look is some apple finally dropped, they were sour, opposite to those awfully sweet from the others around.

None today.

"It's not their season yet to fall. You got lucky last time you found one."

"Those rules are driving me insane. He refused to give me dinner when I killed a freakin' wasp trying to sting me."

He smirked and took the flute, beginning to play melody I was trying to learn. I scowled at him.

"Who taught you how to play anyway?"

"Mother, when you were still crawling on all fours in diapers. You were such an annoying brat back then, you almost got me bald."

"Tch. Good for you."

It was unnerving that he remembered me when I was nothing but a toddler.

I rested on the trunk and gazed enviously at the sour apples.

"You know, you've been having these dreams again tonight," I said.

"I told you they don't have to mean anything."

"You never said they don't," I threw him a glance.

"What if they did?"

I shrugged. I felt another little snake crawl up my leg, they seemed to be drawn to me ever since Orochimaru placed the cursed seal on me. It followed up and swirled around my arm reaching forward.

"You think so?" I asked silently looking at the animal. It hissed.

I touched an apple handing on the lowest branch, firmly, far from falling. I smirked and picked it.

"Sasuke," I heard Itachi's warning.

I crouched, facing him.

"I've seen a looks you gave that forbidden fruit before you. Don't you always want things you shouldn't have the most?" I asked, even though I knew the answer just well. "Doesn't it make you suffer when you can't get them because it may interfere with your plans?" I played with the apple before him. "It surely makes me. But no matter what, in two weeks time, I have a bucked trip to hell. I'm not going to deny myself some life," I bit down on the fruit, closing my eyes. "Mmm… It tastes so much better because I know, I should never touch it."

His eyes followed the trail of juice trickling down from my lips.

"You've stained your shirt.".

"That's why I should wear black," I held the apple before his lips. "No one will know, just a bite to see if it tastes as good as it looks."

I saw a light struggle in his eyes, but after all, he was an Uchiha. And we always get what we want, no matter what it is. He took my hand holding the fruit and bit down.

-:-

"Sasuke," I heard Itachi's voice from behind me. "Wake up."

"I'm not asleep, get out, you're too hot and melting my ice-cream," I muttered trying to protect my waffle.

"Sasuke, what ice-cream? Wake up, they came here," he shook me harder and I shot up really awoken. "Orochimaru's lackeys, those who followed us, they're coming."

I immediately got up and looked through the window. "How many?"

"Five or six, I'm not sure. But their signatures are strong. Those are not some mere Chuunins."

"We can take them."

"Of course we can. Come downstairs, I don't want Eda getting hurt."

"Aa."

We ran down the stairs and I saw the Hermit standing under the wall, in his arms a small bleeding fox kit. I couldn't help but think about Naruto upon seeing it. "What's wrong with it?" I asked pointing at the animal.

"It came here in panic, they hurt it. Those are the people you told me about, Itachi?"

"Yes. I thought they wouldn't strike after so long though."

The door swung open. The sound nin standing in the doorstep sighed, looking disappointed. "I guess you can't be caught off-guard after all."

I glanced at Itachi, he was ready, his eyes flaring red, hands resting on the weapon handles, but his muscles seemed as relaxed as ever.

"Uchiha Sasuke," the ninja addressed me, probably being the leader of their little pack. "We have no lust to fight either of you, as long as you agree to come with us willingly, from the order of Orochimaru."

"Don't waste your breath," I heard Itachi's voice, before I replied. "He's not going anywhere as long as I'm alive."

I guess the big, protective brother was still somewhere there. Those days we had to spend together had a great impact on both of us.

"Too bad."

And the fight ensued. They were challenging opponents, but still, they couldn't land a hit on either of us. It would be a piece of cake, but when three were dead on the floor I saw one make a move out of the battle field.

Eda.

I cursed and spun around blocking two blows and moving closer to our host. He noticed that nin's intentions as well, for he began to back away further, holding terrified fox in his arms.

"Eda-san, get down!" I hollered and he did.

In the last second I managed to shield him from the incoming slice, but enemy's blade slipped down my sword and I felt sharp pain shooting trough me.

I looked down and saw blood flowing from my belly.

"Gotcha. Orochimaru-sama will not be glad I scarred his vessel, but still…"

"Sasuke!"

Itachi. I saw the black dots before my eyes and fell to the ground, followed by the ninja, who still held the blade inside me. I clutched at it and tried to remove it, but I couldn't.

Suddenly the jingle of metal faded.

The man before me looked back at my brother. "You can do nothing, Itachi," he said. "One move, and he'll suffer much worse. One genjutsu, and I'll be just the same."

Itachi narrowed his eyes, I felt my strength leaving me. Eda whispered something I couldn't hear.

"The longer you stand there, the more of his blood will be spilled before I heal him enough to let him live. The only thing that could stop me is off limits, your eyes are in too bad shape for that."

"Let. Him. Go." My brother said through gritted teeth.

Blade dug deeper inside me making me hiss in pain.

But then I saw Itachi's eyes swirl, forming all to known pattern. I clutched mine tightly in sudden, surfaced panic.

"Mangekyou Sharingan," I heard and the hand holding the blade was gone.

There came a loud thud. I looked at my attacker, his limp body twitching on the ground.

Suddenly two warm hands wound around me and a strong body supported my back.

"Relax," I heard Itachi's voice. "Take my hand and lead it to your wound."

I did so and felt the cool chakra begin to stop the bleeding. I looked up at him, but his gaze was not focused on me, stuck somewhere on the floor.

"Itachi?"

"Yes?"

"Itachi what's wrong?" I asked, bad feeling crawling over me.

"Sasuke… I'm blind."

-:-

**A/N: **Oh my, that's hell of a chapter. But I made it all into one, because I don't want to do many with Sasuke and Naruto being separated (but even though they are here, this is one vital for the plot and stuffed with important big and small things, if you look carefully enough). I hope you liked it anyway :)

Review please!


	27. Bad

**A/N:** Hello. There's one very important hint in this chapter you may or may not understand :) Cookies for those who catch it (and I guess additional cliff-hanger as well). It will be obvious in following chapter, but some may want to take a challenge :)

Also, I know I don't make Akatsuki be an evil organisation full of evil people who do nothing but glare, torture and kill. But I think that as long as someone isn't schizophrenic (or have some weird anti-social mental disease) it's impossible to live without being a human at times. And interacting with people you work with on the level slightly higher than "here's the mission report and here are your orders." I dislike things awfully shallow and totally black and white. I hope you don't mind :)

**-Chapter Twenty Seven-**

_- __Bad -_

**Sasuke's POV**

"He took it worse than you did," I heard Eda's voice somewhere from the right.

My head hurt badly, and I really didn't feel like waking up already.

"I know…" I felt a hand rest on my forehead and stroke my hair.

I realized I had a bandage covering my left eye. Room was filled with strong herbal scent.

"He should be up soon, those herbs would awake a dead-man. His wound is almost healed, I tell you, Itachi, nature gives greater miracles than all of your ninja jutsus," Eda pulled up my shirt and examined my pierced belly. "See? Even if there will remain a scar it will be hardly visible without looking too carefully."

Next moment I felt him put his hand back on the wound covered with some cold goo and began to smear it around, barely touching my skin. I shooed his hand away, feeling the laughter coming to my throat.

I opened my eye and looked at them both. Eda, a little startled.

"You're ticklish?" he asked and looked at me as if I was some specimen of extinct species.

"Tch," I looked at the herbal whatever and finished smearing it myself. I hated being ticklish. Uchiha's are not supposed to be, damn it. I guess I always a little defective.

"How do you feel?"

"Fine," I looked at Itachi, he sat on the chair in silence, eyeing me cautiously.

His blind eye followed the one that see, for anyone unaware of his condition it would be impossible to say anything's wrong.

I never thought I'll live up to the day he won't know what to say. But I obviously did.

"Can I move freely or I'm not fully patched up yet?"

"You can move," said Eda, patting me lightly on the stomach. "Everything healed fine, but if you don't want scar on the belly you'd better come for the herbs three times a day."

"Hn. How long was I out?"

"Three days. You take the herbal treatment really well."

I smirked. I decided to let our host believe it were really his herbs that did miracles. It seemed that however that bond between Naruto and me (and obviously Kyuubi for the third) worked, it permanently enhanced my chakra and body so that it was actually creating those healing part on it's own, without us needing to be nearby.

I'd rather believe that than Naruto being somewhere in the vicinity. Definitely.

"I wish to train," I addressed Itachi. "I must know how much… this affected my skills."

He nodded, stood up and took weapons. "I'll be waiting outside."

-:-

"I don't see much difference," Itachi said, as we finished the training and I lied myself on the ground, panting slightly.

"There isn't."

Kakashi almost all his life managed without having both his eyes for support. I was no worse than him, although for some time I would have to focus more with widened blind spot.

"Sasuke."

"Hn?"

"Thank you."

I looked at him incredulously. "Did you just say 'thank you'?"

"Don't act as if it's nothing. I know it isn't."

"I'd rather lose one eye than my entire body. Would we be able to proceed with the plan if you were blind?" I looked at him, one eye obsidian, like always, but the other permanently red as blood.

Ultimate Sharingan.

"What if I said we could? You didn't ask before."

True.

"I would do the same," I said.

"Why?"

Because it feels right. Because you're my brother. And because I love you.

"I don't want to take any chances. He's unpredictable, you need to be in as good condition as you get."

Time passed slowly as we rested in the garden, I scratched another of those pissing of mosquito bites. _'You shouldn't kill mosquitoes either, young one. You have enough blood to share a drop with them.' _

There were times I wondered if this place was more like a paradise or rather hell.

"There's not much time left for us here," Itachi said after a long while. "If we want the plan to work, we must work in harmony. There are only two things I know of that allow two people to move in harmony. One of them is dance. I want you to dance with me, Sasuke."

First I threw him a blank stare. Then I laughed.

"How do you see that happening? The mere image of it is ridiculous."

"Is it? Stand up."

I did, looking at him sceptically. "Do you know woman's part?" I asked. "Because I don't."

I hoped I still could dance the one I was taught as a child anyway.

"Yes," he said.

I raised one eyebrow at him. That sure was unexpected answer.

"I used Sharingan to learn it," he explained seeing my wonder. "You'll do this now. The night's no shorter than any other, and we'll change later."

I smirked. "Fine."

I felt I'll have lots of mental laugh at this.

Yes. I actually began to laugh. The serenity of this place was magical, I knew that if the hell I saw on horizon will ever end, I'll come back here one day, if only for a short time.

Itachi placed one hand on my temple. When I didn't flinch or tense I realized that I had my guard completely down with him around. It was good for the plan, but was it good on the longer run?

After a moment I heard a music play. "There's nothing you can't use genjutsu for, is there?"

"No."

I held his hand and waist trying not to burst into laughter at that weird exercise of his, but once we began to dance I soon forgot who he was. What he said was true, soon our bodies began to move in a total harmony and I loved that feeling. Somehow I no longer saw it as awkward as in the beginning, the only thing that mattered was the music and steps.

I watched him all the time with Sharingan active, and later we changed. It was amazing feeling to be able to lean on someone, to forget about dominating all the time, to just flow with someone else thinking and deciding. I know he's the only person in that world I'd ever allow to lead me, but as all my old feelings surfaced, when hate disappeared making place for all the other emotions, I began to perceive him as my older brother again. As my authority and someone who'll take care of me, protect me from the world.

I knew it was not entirely true, of course. But I decided to let that go for the time being. And just enjoy that time. During the dance I could feel like a child again.

When we finished the dance to rest he looked at me and I saw something weird in his eyes.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"There's one more thing you have to overcome, Sasuke. As much as I hate the idea now, it has to be done."

I nodded. I knew it will come sooner or later. I could never have a mind pure enough to handle our plan, having a weakness like that.

"I know," I said quietly. "Tomorrow. I want you to lead me one more time tonight."

-:-

I lied on the bed, unmoving. He waited and I saw he hesitated too.

"Get on with it, I want it to be over already."

He nodded. "You have to face it, Sasuke. Don't try to run away, don't panic, don't scream. Go in there and face it with courage. I know it's hard, I hope it's not impossible. Face me and don't hate me. Don't let me manipulate you, don't let me break you again."

"I know. Do."

His eyes swirled and I used all my will power to keep mine from closing. Last thing I felt was his hand grabbing mine.

-:-

There I was. Once again the word of reversed colours before me, Konoha from years back. I was running down the street, but I forced my body to stop. I couldn't face it alone, the fear crawled over me again and I felt alone. Just like I felt after the massacre when Itachi left me with nothing, took everything, everyone I cared for.

Loneliness. I had to get rid of it.

I was feeling the walls of the genjutsu, the boundaries, the energies flowing all around. I focused and pulled on them, to shape them the way I needed them to be.

When I opened my eyes I met another pair, on the grinning, whiskered face of my best friend. I took his hand and made him move along. It was only illusion, like everything here. He was me, he would do and say what I told him to and that's why I wanted him only to walk and hold my hand.

He said he'll always follow me. He'll never let go. And he never broke his promises. I smiled at the imagined child beside me and followed through the tormented way of my worst nightmare.

We ran to the door and I took a deep breath. That was it. That was the end.

The worst part.

I pushed the door open and looked straight into the eyes of my brother. Then I lowered my eyes to the bodies of my parents. My heart clutched tight and I squeezed a little hand in my own and looked back at Itachi.

But none of us spoke their roles. I didn't scream, he didn't hit me. I heard no hate talk, just a look I couldn't decipher.

Suddenly Naruto I've created dispelled as Itachi waved his hand.

"Come closer, Sasuke," he said.

I did as he told me, he turned my face to the bodies on the ground.

"Last thing your mother did was beg me not to hurt you."

I felt bitterness in my throat, his hand had a firm grip on my chin, not letting me turn away. I was a lot smaller than him, weaker in every measure. I was just a child again.

"Itachi…"

He let go of my head and I felt my knees bend under me. But a pair of strong hands caught me, not letting me fall. He took me up and carried away from that place, he sat on the bench before the house, in the distance I could see only blackness, as all the trees and buildings disappeared a little away from where we were. Like the end of the world.

He sat me on his knees like he used to, long ago.

"This is all the past," I said, knowing how weird my voice sound in this form. "I can live with the past. It hurts, but the wounds are mostly healed. But…" I looked into his eyes. "I want to ask you to promise me something. I want you to promise me to never, ever hurt the one closest to what I have for family."

"I have no intention of hurting him anymore."

"So you promise?"

"I promise."

I leaned my head on his chest and closed my eyes. He let me fall asleep.

-:-

I opened my eyes back in the real world. It lasted no more than few seconds, I know but even though he didn't keep me there for three days, it felt a lot longer. Images flashed through my mind, but I knew that after I faced them on my own will, it will change everything. My fear was gone.

I lied a few moments in silence, allowing Itachi to watch me without snapping at him.

"Tomorrow, before we part our ways, I'll block your memories," he said after a while. "From the moment you woke up in the hideout till the last one you'll possess. Is there any else you'd like me to hide?"

I thought for a moment. "Is it possible to recover a memory of something that happen yet due to the state of my mind I can't recall?"

"Of course."

"I want you to bring one for me. The night I spent with Naruto."

"You do know I'll see it too?"

I shrugged. "It's not like I have something to hide… and he won't know. I want it. I will still remember it, right?"

"Yes, you will."

"Then do so, please."

If anything happened…

Itachi nodded and gazing deep into my eye began his work. I saw flashes of the memories from around that time involving Naruto, and then suddenly he stopped. It was that night. Everything began happening again, I saw it, and even though I couldn't feel anything physical, I got a grip on the feelings surging through me at that time. The images of Naruto, kissing me, holding me. Blushing from embarrassment from being naked before me.

The memory ended the moment I obviously fainted. Itachi let go of me, I saw his eyes were a little hazy. I reached for the glass from the night stool and splashed the cold water on his face.

"Damn it, Sasuke!" he yelled.

I smirked. "Thanks, Itachi. Good night."

"That wasn't necessary. I can control myself."

"Yeah, sure. I thought same."

I turned my back to him and buried myself deep under the quill.

Although I was afraid I won't be able to fall asleep just as soon.

-:-

"Warn him, Itachi. Tell him not to chase after me," I said.

We were back in Fire Country.

"He won't listen to me, Sasuke."

"He should still be in Konoha, I told Kakashi to keep him there as long as he can, but I know him, he won't stay there seven more months. And I don't want him to know and see, I really don't."

"I'll talk to him, I promise you. But you said yourself you know him. You should know he'll follow you to hell."

I sighed. "Worth to try. Do this for me."

He nodded and then reached to for the clasp of his ever-present necklace and took it off.

"This can help us later. I hardly remember days when I didn't wear it. It's filled my essence and would make the ritual more powerful."

"He'll know and take it off."

"I'll make it irremovable, if you agree."

I snorted. "Never have a chance to forget about you?"

"Aa."

"Do it," I said and he closed it around my neck.

I felt a hot chakra flow through the stones, and a click was heard.

"It's done," he said. "And there's nothing left."

"I know. Seal the memories. I'm as ready as I will be."

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

"It's been a month, Sakura-chan. I told you, if he's not back by that time I will go check in Sound," I said, throwing pieces of bread to, now considered mine, raven. No matter how hard I tried to get rid of it during the first few days, it always found it's way back to me and refused to leave. Scary, if you ask me. I was sure it was Itachi's creation, but the way it acted, it was just a normal bird and I had no heart to kill it.

Sometimes I felt like I had a candyfloss instead of a heart, really.

"I know, Naruto. But Kakashi-sensei said he's leaving for a good reason, remember?"

"I know, that's why I didn't run away to look for him already. But a month is hell of a time, if you ask me. And even though saying that hurts me deeply, I don't trust him when it comes to coming back."

She sighed and took the bread from me to feed the bird.

"I'm just worried, Naruto. We've lost you once already, I would die if that happened again."

I hugged her. "I'm gonna be tougher now. And you can't kill a ghost, you know."

She smiled. I know it still made her feel awkward when she was reminded I was dead.

Suddenly I felt the familiar heat flow over me. I shot up and looked around but I saw no one.

"Sakura," I heard a voice speak, and the second later Sakura's head fell limply on my shoulder.

I felt my heart jump to my throat. The crow arose and cawed.

"Naruto," upon hearing this voice again my hope of seeing Sasuke died a violent death.

"Itachi," I hissed, turning to him, but avoiding direct eye contact. "What have you done to him?! I had dreams, you know, I saw various things in them but one thing I know for sure – you met him and you hurt him. And don't try to deny it!"

"I'm not going to deny anything," he said coming closer and making me back a step. "Nor I'm here to hurt anyone."

"What did you do to Sakura-chan?" I asked, but I saw her breathing, so I didn't panic.

"She's asleep. She'll awake in an hour or so."

"Why are you here?" I snarled at him, attacking would be most futile, I hadn't enough chakra to pull any attack powerful enough to give me the slightest chance.

"To tell you not to chase after my little brother, Naruto. He's gone. And you can do nothing to change it."

"G-gone? What the hell did you do to him?"

"I did nothing to him, I'm here because he asked me to come."

"Do you really think I'll fall for such a cheap trick, Itachi? Do you really see me as such an idiot? That's true you got me once in similar way, alright, but that was because I hoped to SAVE Sasuke that way, to make him COME HOME. Now you tell me to leave him be, for whatever sick reason you have I wish not to know of. You can do nothing to stop me, you can't stop a ghost!" I yelled, knowing that if he decided to chase me or trap me, I'll soon be free anyway. I felt rage coming all over me. "There's absolutely no way for me to listen to you, I wanted to go for him and I'll go! All you ever did was make him hurt more, make him suffer. And I would kill you for that, because even if I can't hate you for killing me, I can for doing everything you did to him."

He looked at me, his face impassive, but something present in his eyes.

"I see," he said. "I can't do anything more, even though I really wish to fulfil his will."

"You talk as if he was dead! He can't be, I am here, and that tells me that he's too."

"Life is not equal life."

I clenched and unclenched my fists. "I'm not wasting anymore time on you," I said and picked Sakura up to get her to her room. "Leave, Itachi. It sickens me to see you."

"I wish you luck, Naruto. There are many things you still have to learn and I hope you'll have your chance to."

"Whatever," I said and left.

-:-

**General POV**

Itachi walked into the current headquarters and almost immediately was caught by a stream of loud curses. He walked towards the source of the wild screams and saw Hidan waving his head at Deidara.

"She fucking cut off my fucking head with a fucking piece of paper!"

"Don't say you didn't like it, masochist un," Deidara snickered. "Oi, Itachi! Don't get near that woman without some sort of protection, just look what she did to our poor Hidan," another snicker followed.

Immortal one snorted and connected his head back to his neck. Itachi walked pass them ignoring Deidara's ramble and entered the room. Konan sat behind the desk, struggling with some paper work and devouring chocolate. She raised her head and looked at him.

"Did it go well?"

Itachi nodded. He liked straight-to-the-business attitude.

"Pein's not back yet?"

"No. I'm still in charge," she wrinkled her nose in discontentment. "You'd better take this mess now that you're back."

"You're feeling worse?"

"Agitated. Pissed off. Anxious. But the pain is mostly gone, I've got the medicine."

"Oh?"

"That blonde brat was asking about Sasuke. I used him to get me those. Anyway, there's quite an important matter about that one…Deidara!" she yelled.

Deidara ran back into a room spilling clay dust everywhere around him and sneezing loudly. "Wha?"

"Where did you put that note from the Kyuubi's vessel?"

"Uh? In the lowest drawer on the left," he pointed at the desk and turned when another loud sneeze came, muttering something about to early detonation.

"Look at this, Itachi," Konan handed him a piece of paper with two seals. "Hidan studied them for a while, one of them is definitely modified body controlling technique of Orochimaru. The other is very specific, it's hard to tell what it would do for sure, but it seems to have something about trapping chakra in one shape and sealing it, causing it unable to distort."

"Where did you get those?"

"He drew them. That kid, Naruto. He said he saw them in some kind of dream on his hands. He had no way to see them before, laugh, but I think it was some kind for future flash. He knew about your need for Sasuke's eyes as well."

"I suggest start working on removing those from him, at least the one for body control," Itachi said, taking the armchair. "He's heading into Sound right now and if that dream was premonition, Orochimaru will take that opportunity to lay his hands on him. If someone is able to experiment on that kid and still make him useful, it's that Sannin."

"You can still merge him with the rest of essences always, yeah."

Itachi threw Deidara a glare. "I destroyed the scroll with jutsu."

Blond chuckled. "You may fool your little brother, Itachi, but not us. You know the jutsu by heart anyway."

"Even if I do, there will be no killing of him."

"Ooh," Deidara's eyes shone. "Found something you like? You know, you can kill him, I can be cute too and have big blue eyes."

Itachi blinked at him blankly.

"Go play with the remnants of Sasori or read your Icha Icha porn and stop hitting on me."

"Not going to happen, you're a piece of art," he said and left, giggling to himself at the sight of Uchiha's annoyed look.

Itachi turned his attention back to Konan shaking off that conversation. "Everything went fine this month, I think Sasuke managed to trust me enough for this to work. I'll begin preparation tomorrow, will you be able to help me?"

"Yes, I'm not that bad yet, but I wish I could take those pills once a week. The second one after gets nasty anyway."

"Don't, it will do more harm than good."

"I know. Take those to Hidan and tell him that it's his current assignment. We have to take care of Orochimaru before we continue with our plans. Pein believes nothing else is on our way for now."

Itachi nodded and with sigh stood up to leave to his room.

Those will be long seven months.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

I was running through the damp forest, I had to keep my bodily form to carry Samehade, I would need to be physical to do anything so I had to keep my body, even though the run would be so much easier as a spirit.

But none of that mattered now. I had to get to Sound, I had a feeling that's where Sasuke can be. If he wasn't – great. But I couldn't allow that dream to come true. Not in the world! As long… as long as I could do anything.

Suddenly I heard something on my left. I stopped abruptly. I was in Sound territory, quite deep within and I had to be cautious. I hoped I'll fine the hidden Sound soon.

I began to walk through the bushes in the direction of noise, as quietly as I could.

But what I saw on the clearing made my heart beat rapidly.

"Sasuke!" I cried and ran towards him.

There he was, laying on the ground, covered with dirt and mud. I kneeled beside him and supported him on my arms.

"Sasuke, Sasuke, what happened?"

And then with terror I've noticed his left eye was bandaged. My mouth went dry.

"Gods, Sasuke, please speak to me! Speak to me!"

The images from that nightmare flashed through my mind, his left eye wasn't his. He had to lose it at some point, but… but… I felt something under my fingers, I looked at his chest and saw the amulet.

THAT amulet I saw in the vision.

So it was true. It was all getting there.

No…

"N-Naruto?" I heard his weak voice, healthy eye opened and looked at me, revealing pain.

"Are you hurt?" I asked him.

"I… don't know… I think I'm poisoned. I fought and then I woke up here, weak. He's dead."

"Who's dead?"

"Orochimaru…"

My eyes widened.

"Take me to the village," he said. "I may need an antidote. Kabuto should have one, now that he's master's dead by my hand he'll listen to me."

"O-okay," I pulled him up, he supported his weight on my shoulder.

"I can walk, just… stay like that."

"Sure, sure, Sasuke, I was so worried about you! I was dying from worry! Where have you been?" I asked him helping him walk into direction he pointed.

"I don't know… I don't remember everything, I know… Itachi, he was there. He…"

"What? Sasuke, what did he do?" I asked feeling panic.

"He took my eye, and… and… It doesn't matter, I ran away, I had to, because I still can see. But this…" he pointed at the amulet. "I can't remove it. It has no clasp. I don't know why it's on me."

But after a moment my ninja senses awoken. I was in Sound territory, enemies could lurk behind every corner. I remembered Konan's advice to keep of this place as well… What if I was fooled by some sort of genjutsu?

"Sasuke?"

He stopped and looked at me. His cheek was covered with soil and… tears? Did he cry?

"I know it's stupid, I'm sorry, but… can I check you if you're… real Sasuke? I mean, it's Sound territory and…"

If he was, he wouldn't object. He put his long finger on my lips.

"Of course."

I put a hand on his forehead and checked for any transforming or illusionary jutsus. It was really easy as long as someone actually allowed you to do so.

None.

I sighed and smiled at him. "It's really you, flesh and bones."

"Flesh and bones."

"I'm so happy I found you before something even worse happened," I said, enjoying the heat emanating from his body. A month, a long month of fear, but he was here and I felt now I could prevent all that things from happening. It still wasn't too late. "I'm not leaving you for one step now, Teme!"

He smirked into the forest.

"Indeed, you're not."

-:-

**A/N: **So they finally met again, yeah. C'ya all in the next chapter. And review please!


	28. Tears of a Friend

**A/N:** Hi people. This was hardest chapter for me to write yet (maybe 21 was harder, but not much). Forgive my lack of descriptions in the place of the time skip but I didn't feel like writing it, and I bet the majority of you wouldn't like to read about it either. Use your imagination, if needed. I hope what's been happening is clear enough, this time I didn't try to be vague.

For those of you who asked about Sasuke's POV in Sound and killing Orochimaru – don't worry, I will NOT skip such important things and just mention "oh, and yes, by the way, Orochimaru and Akatsuki got killed/destroyed, but meh, who cares, let's talk about Chouji's dinner."

**NOTE: **There is one OC here. She is not my impersonation. She is not powerful. She will not be paired with any important character (with anyone, to be honest). And she won't have any bigger impact on the storyline. I write this because I know what's attitude of many people towards young girl OC's in fanfictions. At least I dislike them, alright. But she's here just to help me write this chapter.

Thanks to JadeOokami for beta job :)

**WARNING:** Character's death.

**-Chapter Twenty Eight-**

_- Tears of a Friend –_

**Naruto's POV**

We walked into the hidden village of Sound. Sasuke told me that for the past week Orochimaru was staying here to crystallize their plans of acting. There were only a few commoners around and most of the people were armed ninjas.

"This place is so different from Konoha," I said while we walked. "It seems so cold and hostile."

"Yeah."

He leaned his head on my shoulder, when we stopped to rest a moment. It was so good to feel the warmth again, the bone-biting chill his absence provoked was driving me insane.

"Sasuke," I began when we moved again. "I wonder, why are they so calm? I mean, do they know Orochimaru is dead?"

"I don't think so. I lied in the forest for a while, but not long enough for them to worry. I'm but a vessel for their master, they can't suspect I could win the fight."

"I see," I smiled at him. "Where are we going anyway? Where's Kabuto?"

He pointed to the high building in the middle of a village. "There. Snake's tower," he leaned harder on my shoulder and I saw him wince.

"I can carry you there if you wish, Teme. You don't have to be all mighty when you're poisoned, ya know."

"I'll make it… Dobe."

I frowned at the way he spoke it… But I shook my head dismissing it. This is Sasuke. I checked myself, after all. Just weak and poisoned.

We walked into the tower which was way bigger than I had thought from just looking at it. The stairs lead down to the open lower level underground, which made it look almost magical.

"Kabuto!" Sasuke called the gray-haired scum.

It didn't take long for a medic to appear.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Your master is dead, give me an antidote to his poison. Now. I'm your master now."

Kabuto's eyebrow arose and he threw me curious look, but then nodded and left.

"On the lower floor, there's my room. Let's go there."

"Okay."

I lead him there. He opened the door with the key on his neck and we walked inside. He let go of me and laid on the bed, panting slightly and evidently not caring about mudding the sheets.

"How long have you been here this time before you fought him?"

"Few days," came the answer.

"You weren't going to give up your body to him again, right?"

He snorted. "Of course not! That's disgusting."

I smiled with relief. "So now you're going back to Konoha, right?" I asked, hope obvious in my voice but I didn't care.

"Yeah. But I need to rest first."

"Sure thing."

There came a knock at the door. "Sasuke-sama."

"Come in, Kabuto."

He came in carrying a vial with some purple liquid. "Here, drink it."

Sasuke took the item and smelled it first, trying a little drop.

"Don't you trust me, Sasuke-sama?" asked Kabuto as if teasing him. Something made him amused here, I saw it in his eyes.

"Hn," he said and drank the potion. "Take Naruto to his… room, please. I'll come later and give you proper orders. You should rest too, how long do you have left in this body?"

"Two, maybe three hours," I said. It was easier to maintain myself in the enemy territory. I had no moral doubts about borrowing some chakra from inhabitants. "But I want to stay with you some more…"

"Fine. Tell the cook to bring him some ramen into the room, he's come a long way."

"Hai."

I wasn't really surprised by Kabuto's change of sides, he never looked to loyal to me. He left and I looked back at Sasuke, his eye covered with black cloth.

"How long ago had it happened?" I asked him pointing at it, sitting on the armchair under the wall. "I mean… does it still hurt?"

"No. You know I heal fast now. I'm not sure how long ago it was, he messed with my mind. He took me somewhere else and when I came back, I knew I was away for a month. Leaving at first, when we parted, I just wanted to go into Sound and fight Orochimaru, but he had to capture me on the way, I don't know. I barely remember anything…" he winced. "I know he made me do things… Things brothers should never do… But I could do nothing, Naruto, I know I was scared for you. He has… something capable of hurting you, he blackmailed me with it."

I looked at him terrified. "Y-you slept with him f-for me?"

He nodded. "It doesn't matter, Naruto. After he took my eye, I ran away, or I think I did. I had to kill Orochimaru and now I will kill Itachi as well. He knew about that blackmail, he showed me a seal, technique of his, that will assure your safety. It was to be a bonus in our bargain, but now I can have both my body and that," he closed his eyes. "I think the antidote's making me sleepy. It's the normal reaction, I know this poison."

"We'll talk tomorrow, right? It will be alright. It has to be now," I said, even though I was shaking. My whole body was shaking.

"Yeah. Everything will be… perfect."

I looked at him one last time and then left.

What had HE done for me?

-:-

I was awoken not much later by Kabuto, who told me to follow him, while I still had my body. I wasn't really sleeping much, more like napping and thinking. Sasuke wanted to give me some seal and I had a bad feeling. I had to refuse, for the time being, till the moment the doom from the dream was reversed.

If I had no seals on me, that would mean I've changed something. That would give me a chance and hope.

The rascal lead me into the big room, where I saw Sasuke sitting on the chair adorned with snakes, Samehade standing proudly on his side.

"Oi, Sasuke, ya know there's one thing I'd like to talk with ya about."

Sasuke waved his hand at Kabuto. "Leave, I'll call for you."

He nodded. "Hai."

"What is it?" Sasuke asked me, his wounded, missing eye was closed, covered only by a thin strap of purple ribbon.

"About those seals… We can't do it now, Sasuke."

"Oh?" He raised black eyebrow. "Why so?"

I frowned. Something was wrong with him, something in the way he spoke, the way he looked at me…

"I had a dream. I can't have those seals now."

Suddenly I wasn't so sure about giving him all the details.

"You need to have them, Naruto, otherwise Akatsuki will close you in some container. Equal to death, if you ask me," he laughed. "Why not, Naruto?"

"Can you open the other eye?" I asked him.

He took off the ribbon and opened it.

Silver.

No.

"Why so scared? Don't like the colour? To be honest I wished to make it green or golden, but Sasuke-kun wasn't thrilled, and I humoured him this once."

"W-what?" I took step backwards.

He smirked. "You're so naïve, Naruto-kun, so naïve. Kabuto, I'm tired of this charade."

I didn't realize when he appeared behind me, but next thing I remember was falling face-first to the ground.

-:-

I woke up laying on something hard, my limbs immobilized. I opened my eyes and saw Kabuto kneeling beside the table I was placed on, doing something to my hands. Under the wall stood Sasuke.

No.

Not Sasuke.

Orochimaru.

"What happened?" I asked.

"You were poisoned and brought here so my Kabuto can prepare you for the sealing."

"Not to me," I said through gritted teeth. "To Sasuke."

"Oh? He came here by his own will to fulfil our deal. He wishes for his brother to die, and I wish to help him. I wanted to play with you, Naruto-kun, but it was getting troublesome."

"Play with me?"

"Yes, act in character, place the seals with your agreement. Wouldn't it be nicer than being tied to the table?" He smiled a wicked smile and I felt as my heart was about to break.

Sasuke… He said he won't give his body up and…

"All I was telling you before is true, I have all Sasuke-kun's memories he had, I told just one little lie. And that was me being dead. Sasuke is good at calculations, he knows what way will lead him to his goal. And he even thought about you. He had changed during those two months he's been away from Sound. He began to care about something more than revenge. I'll keep a good eye on you, Naruto-kun. I'll actually make sure you stay alive."

Why didn't I like the sound of it? Kabuto moved to my other hand, but I could hardly pay any attention to him. What mattered was him.

Sasuke.

Orochimaru was right. I am so fucking naïve when it comes to those I care about. And he just used it.

"I wished to play in character, I think I did it well, don't you, Naruto-kun? But what was that dream of yours that planted doubts in this golden heart?" His voice dripped with irony, it no longer sounded anything like Sasuke's.

It hurt me more than anything to see it, but if that dream was to come true, Sasuke would overcome Orochimaru, I knew as much. In the vision I knew he was himself and the snake was dead. That was good thought, a little consoling. But after… no.

This could NOT happen. I HAD to do something. Anything.

He loved me, he respected me, even though, as he said, I despised myself. I will, if I do nothing, especially now that I know where it's going. It's still not too late.

I won't give up before I end up laying on the forest floor with the knot in my hand. I won't give up on Sasuke, no matter what happens.

No. Way. In. Hell.

I nodded to myself. Whatever was coming, I had a feeling in my bones it wouldn't be good. But Sasuke was not dead. He was inside his mind, closed, immobilized, whatever, but he's there. And he will be free.

But this time, I had to have a plan.

He came towards me and released one my hand, taking it in his. I flinched at the touch.

This is not Sasuke. This is Orochimaru.

But my brain refused to process this information. This was Sasuke. Black, duck-butted hair, pale skin, obsidian eyes, or rather eye, but still… his lips, hands, nose. I never realized I could describe every detail of him with my eyes closed. But I could.

And it was Sasuke.

"This seal," he said, tracing the pattern on my right hand, "will allow you to keep your body constant all the time. More – it will force you to keep your body all the time. If you won't get needed chakra, you'll be in pain, and how could I let that happen? I have enough people who can die to maintain you," his finger traced my cheek and I jerked my head away, my eyes closed, I could imagine there stands that gross snake.

"This one, on the other hand," he walked around taking my palm, "will allow me to control you. And you, Naruto-kun, can't do anything now. So lay still. The pain will be passing."

-:-

Maybe passing, maybe not… I regained my consciousness some time later, but even though I felt a sharp pain surging through me, I didn't give a shit about it. The only thing I cared about was Sasuke. What he's been through, why he's been through it. And what if I just died instead of selfishly clinging onto him. He would just fight Itachi as it was, he would never end up being used by him, he wouldn't lose his eye, who knows if he would've give his body to Orochimaru.

So many what ifs.

"It's done, Naruto-kun," I heard. "Are you in much pain?"

I kept my eyes closed not to see him, the voice was familiar enough. "Fuck off."

"That's not the way you should address your new master, is it now?"

My new master?!

My eyes shot open screaming 'what-the-hell'.

Sasuke… no. Orochimaru turned to Kabuto, who stood looking at him with weird kind of luck. I wished this man would die, I really did. After everything I've seen him doing to others and…

Oh gods.

They kissed.

And that moment I saw Sasuke kissing Kabuto, nothing else.

Sick!

"I'll miss you," he said, tracing medic's cheek, almost gently, almost lovingly.

Miss?

"Everything for you master. You wished not to take my body, take my life and make yourself perfect."

"Perfection. Immortality."

"Yes, everything's in your reach."

Orochimaru closed his eyes and breathed deeply, smile appearing on his lips. "Goodbye."

And he pierced Kabuto's heart with the kunai he'd been holding.

I screamed, surprised, but the gray-haired man only smiled and fell into Orochimaru's eyes, his blood covering his shirt and flowing down. The Sannin laid his body gently on the ground and kneeled beside it. His hands covered his eyes and he hissed.

Pain?

I looked down and saw the blood dripping from between his fingers. But it was not Kabuto's blood.

And then I understood.

He arose and turned to me, his eyes bleeding, yet red as blood themselves. In the middle of each I saw a familiar black fan.

"H-how… You l-lost the eye…" I mumbled.

"Having one eye with the power of Sharingan and body of an Uchiha, it's nothing, easier for people like me to recreate the second one, Naruto-kun. Even a defective one, hurt by the light, useful only in the darkness," he walked over to me. I couldn't leave the trails of blood covering his face, the red tears flowing in streams from the corners of his eyes. "Sasuke-kun," he said after a moment of watching me silence. "I sacrificed my only friend for the case of being able to win over your brother, because you were too weak to kill yours. Now… I'll have him to fill the emptiness in my heart."

He leaned down and I felt his bloodied lips touch mine, leaving a metallic taste behind.

-:-

…_One Month Later…_

-:-

I woke up on the brink of the bed, curled up, like a little scared child. It was before dawn, I guessed, as always when I woke up. I slept less and less, even though after the jutsu he placed on me kept me constantly in the bodily form, I began to need my sleep, rarely any food or drink as well. One could say I was more alive than I was since I died, but if anyone asked me, I'd say I was slowly dying inside.

Not because of the life I was forced to live or things he made me do, no. But from the image of Sasuke possessed by this monster.

I got up and dressed myself in a gold kimono he wished for me to wear around the new hideout. At first, I was trying to rebel against it, but he was just taking control over my body and made me do every little bidding of his. Like the good pet he said I was.

I sighed. These mornings were the only time I felt safe to proceed with my plan. I left the room and headed straight to the library, opening the door with a small key he'd given me. He insisted I study countless of his books, so he could use me for other things for his pleasure. This part of my stay here I actually appreciated.

Only because of reading about all those forbidden jutsus, techniques invented by Kabuto when he was still alive, I could think of a way to save Sasuke when the time comes.

So far, every little thing from my dream came true, but there was one moment in the whole vision where I know I could do something. And until this moment comes, I will not give up.

I moved a few books on the shelf and took out my notebook. The few first pages and a few in the middle were just some random jutsu gibberish, but I knew where the important things are hidden. I found my mark and concentrated on another step I had to make.

Creating my own genjutsu, one as advanced as the one I had in mind, seemed impossible for me at first. I was never the genious or a prodigy of any kind. I was always the Baka of Konoha, but if that was the way I could try to save Sasuke from becoming the monster I saw, I would slice my brain into pieces.

But I will do it.

I was losing the grip on the time slowly, it seemed to run differently in this place, slowly, as my torment continued. I rarely saw the daylight, for Orochimaru was more willing to keep me in his bedroom looking nice than let me live. But I think I had estimated six months left here.

And the jutsu was slowly making sense.

Someone knocked at the library door, quietly, four times.

"Come in, Hoshi," I said and smiled as I saw the girl come in.

She was around my age, and from the little things I knew about her, she came from Suna, once taken captive by Sound ninjas and kept in this place as an animal keeper. To be honest, I think she's a little on the crazy side, convinced she can talk to the snakes and hissing at them every time she sees one.

I stood up and looked at the wound on her shoulder. "You shouldn't hiss to him, ya know," I smiled at her. "I'm sure his snake side is just as bad as the human one."

She bit her lower lip and lowered eyes. "I know, it's just… I can't believe an animal can be so wicked, I still think that…"

"Don't, Hoshi," I said. "He will just hurt you more, and one day he may kill you. Just… take my word for it, okay?"

She sighed. "Okay, okay. Have anything new?" She asked coming over my notebook and looking at it in wonder.

"Not really, but I think I'm getting somewhere slowly," I sat down and she took another chair sitting beside me.

It was like every day since we've met. She woke up earlier to come to me or wait, if I slept a little longer.

"That's good," she said and touched my neck. "You're hurt again."

"That's nothing. I heal fast."

"Why do you let him do all this, Naruto-kun?" She asked. "I mean, if anyone can kill him, it's you. He lowers his guard around you, he hurts you, why won't you end it? Please, end it and take me away with you…"

I sighed and looked at her, putting her golden hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry. I can't do that."

"But why? I don't understand, he said you can live with him dead now. He teased you to free yourself, you think he's lying?"

"No… I'm pretty sure he tells the truth. You know who's body he possessed, don't you?"

"Yes, one Uchiha's. Saw that creepy Sharingan of his a few times."

"Uchiha Sasuke's. He was my best friend. He still is, because he's only trapped deep down in there." I prayed to gods that he was locked in some black dice unable to see anything. How would I look into his eyes again after everything?

But what he told me in this dream…

Even though you may despise yourself, I still have great respect for you

I knew now what was it about. Why would I despise myself. I do. But he had to know about it too, yet there still was a hope, he got to know it from me, from anyone else.

Not because he's seen everything.

"You never told me that you knew him," Hoshi said silently.

"It's… painful for me."

"I can imagine… You believe he's still alive? That he'll come back? Because… If he won't, if that's how it's to be… I would rather die, you know."

"He'll be back, Hoshi."

"How can you know?"

"I just do."

She took my arm and hugged herself to me. "How close were you two? Did you love him?"

"I still do."

But my heart will break soon…

"I wish I could go back home."

"I promise you I'll take you home when I leave. That's a promise of a lifetime… The only and the most powerful thing I can give you."

She looked up at me. "I hate to see the light fading from your eyes, Naruto-kun. You smile less with each day."

I smiled for her. "I just lack sleep. Nothing else. I'm still who I was."

"You promise you won't change? I'll die here without you."

"I promise."

"Can I ask you one more thing, please?"

"Sure," I said, stroking her head.

"He no longer demands of you to call him by the name of the friend of yours who's body he took. Why did he stop? He seemed to really want it."

"We have a deal."

"What deal? Why did he want that so bad anyway?"

"To break me, Hoshi," I whispered. "To make me suffer more. To tarnish my friend's name. For his own wicked satisfaction."

"What did he want in return?"

"That's not important. Don't bother yourself with it."

I will do whatever he wants me to do, I will be his bitch without him controlling my body, without forcing me to do everything. No matter how much it disgusts me.

But I will never in hell do that one thing.

I will never call him by Sasuke's name.

The only thing I've left to love in this damned place.

-:-

**A/N: **Who's POV do you enjoy more in this story? Please review, even though I think you may really have not liked this chapter… I sure hated it.


	29. Exile

**A/N: **Cookies go to silver-eyed for best piecing things up together. Even with a disjointed chapter x) Thank you all for the reviews, people :)

And I'm sorry for the all-over-the-place-ness of the last chapter. Here comes the last (or at least I think so) serious time skip. There's no Sasuke's POV from the time he's body has been Orochimaru's because that narration would be wholly rated M with lots of warnings and shattered to the point of making the reader's mind more confused than some could feel from the short version of previous chapter (Or describing a black void, which, on the other hand would be boring. At least I think so). Although in his POV the feelings and thoughts from that time won't be forgotten. I hope that will satisfy you, although if you ever feel something needs to be elaborated and described with more details tell me. I'm no master, I do make mistakes/omit things. A lot :)

**WARNING:** Important character's death. Also, the first paragraph of Naruto's POV is, I guess something that can be classified M. It's not a lemon, it's nothing detailed, but I'd rather warn you than make someone read things they'd wish to avoid. Decide yourself.

**-Chapter Twenty Nine-**

_- Exile –_

…_6 Months Later…_

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

Tomorrow. Tomorrow it all should be over. This night he'll lay his hands on me one last time.

I yelped as he bit down on my neck, sucking, leaving a painful mark. He was never gentle with his toy. His hands untied the belt of my robe and began tracing patterns on my skin, his left hand scratched my side, drawing some blood.

'I don't like that you heal so fast, Naruto-kun. I'd love to leave long lasting marks on that flawless skin of yours,' he said to me long, long ago. 'There's one technique that should help this little problem you've got.'

His fingers touched the mark just beneath my collarbone. I cursed it to hell, I didn't give a damn about my healing abilities, I didn't care about my scars or pain Orochimaru enjoyed inflicting upon me. But I would give my eyes to restore the psychical bond with Kyuubi that was cut off. Having him around… it would make things so much easier, so much less scary.

I've tasted loneliness in my life before, but from the moment I learned about his existence and he became a little more social than he used to… I was never so abandoned…

Orochimaru's lips travelled down my body and I felt tears gathering in my eyes. I told myself not to cry, I told myself to just take what he does to me and do what he demands unthinkingly, closing myself off from it.

But the longer it carried on, the more broken my walls became. Out of the bedroom, I could act normally. I had my practised façade of happiness and inbred optimism that helped to survive every hell. But the moment I felt him again, close, undressing me, touching me… That moment all my strength was gone.

I shuddered when he took the rest of clothes off. "Undress me," he demanded.

I did as he told me. At first I always hesitated, but I soon learnt the more I resisted him, the more he hurt me and the more sick satisfaction he got from this. I refused to give him any more than he had already.

"Does he see it?" I asked him, as he lied me back down. "Does Sasuke see all you do?"

I had to know. I never before dared to ask but I had to know now.

"He sees what I want him to see Naruto-kun," he said slyly against my ear, his arms raising my legs.

"Does he see now?" I whispered.

He looked at me and smirked. "He always sees the fun I'm having with you, my little pet."

I touched his face, gently. He seemed surprised.

"I love you, Sasuke. Don't you ever forget it, please."

Orochimaru laughed. "You make him suffer," he said. I winced, I hated feeling him inside me. "You know that… Uchihas… never beg, don't you? He begs me to stop," he smiled viciously and claimed my lips biting down hard. "He begs me… to stop… every time I do… this."

I screamed, tears breaking free from my eyes.

"Don't make him watch, don't fucking make him watch this!"

"I love this too much, I'm sorry Naruto-kun."

'I'm sorry Sasuke… I'm so sorry… I can do nothing to stop him… Forgive me…'

-:-

**General POV**

"Get away, can't you see I'm dying here? You're not supposed to be blind anymore."

Itachi sat down on the brink of Konan's bed, where the woman lied in a loose robe of bright azure shade.

"Nothing helps?"

"No. Medicine stopped working around last month, and nothing else helps me. Maybe laying down a little."

He nodded. "You don't have to go anywhere, that would be stupid in your condition. But I do need your approval over the plan," he handed her the scroll. "You're still in charge."

"I don't know why, he knew I was going to get worse and I told him to put someone else to replace him for the time being, but no. Fucking men," she glanced at Itachi. "No offense, but right now I hate your kind," she winced as she felt the pain come again.

"I'll go look for Ninjin when you're done. She said she has some herbal tea that could ease the pain for a while, at least."

Konan murmured something about finally having female company and then turned her attention back to the Uchiha.

"Do your best to save that Kyuubi kid," she said. "He's adorable if you ask me."

Itachi blinked once. Twice.

Then dismissed this behaviour as another I-may-be-in-evil-organisation-but-I-am-still-a-woman-with-instincts-so-fuck-off phase they had to suffer for what seemed like eternity now.

"He's just as old as Sasuke is, and you obviously haven't considered him a kid."

She glared at him. "The plan is fine," she said handing him back a scroll. "Just try not to die, I like the idea of having an additional Uchiha here, not exchanging one for another."

Itachi smirked and walked out of the room. He hoped Sasuke was prepared enough and braced himself for what was about to come.

Outside the hideout he met with Deidara, who was temporarily his partner. But not for long. Pein should come back with "Tobi" soon and the charade will start again. Itachi had someone else in his eye to replace Kisame for good.

"So?" Deidara asked. "I'm to blow up Sound ninjas, yeah?"

"Yes."

"You know that art is spontaneous, Itachi. Some Konoha birds can fly into my range, un. Would it be too bad to blow a few up too?"

"Blow up whoever you wish, just come with the Jinchuuriki in one piece," Itachi said, checking on his weapons. Although he suspected he wouldn't need them.

"Shouldn't you have someone to cover your back, yeah? From what I've understood you're going to be defenceless during your fight with Orochimaru."

"I'll manage, Deidara. Watch yourself. You wouldn't like to lose your arms again, would you?"

"Don't be so full of yourself, yeah. And be careful. And what about Jirayia-sama?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow at him. "What about him? He's Konan and Pein's business, not ours."

"They'll kill him, yeah!"

"And that's bad why?"

"He's an artist! Of the purest kind! He can't be killed like that. How much time does Konan has left?"

"In the best case, two weeks. In the worst, a month and a half."

Deidara sighed with relief. He still had time to convince her to leave Jirayia and his artistic talent in the right world. He didn't really mind capturing him, no. He knew they will do that at least anyway, but killing… that couldn't happen.

-:-

…_Few Days Later…_

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

A few elite ninja groups Orochimaru chose to be his company in this little heist of his went ahead of us. He didn't want to destroy Konoha this time. He just wanted his Jinchuuriki in one piece, and Baa-chan's and Ero-Sannin's heads.

I could do nothing but pray everything ended well. He had me on his leash, I couldn't say a word without his agreement.

"You'll bring me my Jinchuuriki, Naruto-kun," he said addressing me.

We were just a few steps away from Konoha, and I could already hear the alarms rise. The ninjas were on their task of making a mess.

Survive, survive, survive… Please, everyone survive.

My heart was on the verge of breaking. Here I was, standing beside my worst enemy, while all of my friends, sans one, were probably fighting for their lives. I knew Hinata and Neji survived, I knew, that if Gaara would be in Konoha for some reason, he would survive. I knew that Konoha itself wasn't destroyed.

But other than that I knew nothing.

Suddenly I heard a loud explosion and screams.

"Go now. Get the girl and take her safely to the hideout. For me, it's time to test the new power," his eyes swirled revealing Mangekyou.

I felt my body move forward and leap through the trees and above the walls of Konoha, heading straight into the Hokage's tower, where, according to Orochimaru's information, the Jinchuuriki was kept.

From the distance, I saw the ground falling into pieces and flash of pink hair before my eyes. Sakura-chan. I tried to scream, to overcome this fucking seal just enough to do so, but nothing came out of my lips. In the chaos I heard Akamaru's barking and Lee and Gai's youth screams.

Suddenly a swarm of black birds flew over my head, disappearing before me. Another loud explosion could be heard.

Could it be?

No.

Before Hokage's mansion I saw none other but Tsunade, standing proud and ready, and as far as I could see, quite sober. But Ero-Sannin wasn't at her side as he always used to. Shizune was leading a group of kids into the caves up there, accompanied by Iruka-sensei.

I sneaked around them, as he wanted me to be stealthy. My body relaxed only when I was inside the building. No one was expecting lone person to come here.

Or the Jinchuuriki was somewhere else, in a more guarded place.

I looked around to find anything that could indicate where the girl was kept, but all of a sudden a strong arm gripped me by the neck, the other hit me straight in the back and I screamed. It was not just a blow, it was on fucking fire!

"Release," I heard a man's voice.

The hand moved from my neck to my lips and I felt the metallic smell of blood.

"Drink, now."

Drink?!

I wanted to turn my head away, but could not. He poked my side and I gasped, blood falling into my open mouth. "Drink it."

I felt I was regaining control over my body. What happened? I did as the man told me, and I felt a warm breath on my neck. I did as he told me, swallowing the blood that went into my mouth.

"Now listen to me, for you don't have much time. Go to the Hokage, tell her to move a few best of her ninjas before the gates. They are NOT to attack either me or Orochimaru, they have to stop both Konoha's and Oto's ninjas from closing up on us. This is important, Naruto, and if you want to free Sasuke you will do as I told you."

Holy shit… Itachi. I felt my whole body stiffen and I thanked adrenaline for making my panic to lessen and allow me to move instead of cringing in fear.

His hand left my mouth leaving a bloody trail all over my face. I spun around but all I saw was the swarm of crows flying through the window.

I didn't waste one moment. I ran madly out of the building and found Baa-chan, telling her what I was told. She understood me and immediately ordered Kakashi, Sai and Anko to follow her.

The moment we got to the gates I saw the ravens fly down from the trees, forming the shape of a man. Kakashi's eyes narrowed, but Tsunade stopped him momentarily seeing his muscles tense.

"No," she said, noticing same thing as the rest of us.

Itachi didn't even throw us a glance. His eyes were focused on Orochimaru, who stood there, smirking nonchalantly.

I saw Tsunade form some seals and a wall separated us from the raging Konoha. I saw Kiba, stopping in half-step, as he was cut off the fight scene he was rushing into.

"Keep them away, Kakashi, Anko," she ordered. "Sai, be ready to capture the Uchiha, should he change sides."

"Hai," came the reply.

She looked at me and I saw she was about to heal my wounds but I stopped her. "It's not my blood."

We turned our attention back to the duet. They stood still, unmoving, as if in some kind of eye-contest.

Suddenly Itachi took a step forward, yet he carried no weapon.

"What are you up to, Itachi?" Orochimaru snorted. "You can't kill me, you know that. Even if you win, I'll run. And this time, I can take my body along."

Itachi said nothing, his eyes blank as always, but his wounded hand reached forwards. Suddenly Orochimaru's left hand moved forwards and they laced their fingers together.

"What the hell?" Tsunade asked and I saw her ready the chakra in her fist, but I grabbed her hand.

"Sasuke."

"What?"

"Sasuke."

I understood. I finally understood.

Orochimaru's smile faded, a scowl appeared on his face, I saw him trying to lower his eyes, but he couldn't break the contact. His other hand reached up and met with Itachi's.

But while the left held Itachi's like one could hold his lover on a walk, the right one dug deep down into the skin, arm muscles tensing, nails drawing cutting pale skin and drawing blood.

I felt Tsunade's chakra fall back, as she watched the silent duel, war waged inside the mind's dimensions.

Sai began to paint something on his scroll. "Sai, don't. He's…" but I stopped, as I looked at his picture. This was no jutsu or creature to help him fight.

He was drawing them both.

"Are you nuts?" I asked him, quietly, as if afraid to disturb them.

He only shrugged and ignored me, driven by inspiration.

I looked back and my eyes followed the blood dripping down Itachi's forearm.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

I was kneeling down, in the world of orange, black and white. My hands grasping the ground, mind attacked by visions, sent by the panicking mind of Orochimaru. He wanted to break me, he saw every memory of mine, all the fakes gone, replaced by everything that really happened.

They were fighting, he was mirroring Itachi's jutsus, guiding them towards me, trying to break me in any way he could. Trying to make me lose my grip, allow him to escape.

But there was no escape.

NO FUCKING ESCAPE!

I dug my nails deeper into the ground. I looked at him, smiling with victory. He could do nothing, he couldn't break me. No vision of murder, no summoned illusion of massacre he tried to conquer me with would work.

I would NOT let him go. For all he did, for all he wanted to do I would see him die. I would see him die in pain.

Itachi was winning. Slowly, step by step, he was winning over that piece of shit, beating him into the ground, slicing his mind into pieces.

Hurting him.

I felt the rage, I felt the fury flowing through my brother. He wanted to make him suffer, beg for mercy.

He knew everything that happened. This was a fight in my mind, in my body, there was nothing I could hide, there was nothing Orochimaru could hide.

Every single hit, physical or psychical, was heaven.

This was my revenge. This was how it tasted. But the sweeter it was, because I had no regrets. I had no doubts. Only a wish for blood.

"Make him whimper like a dog!" I yelled, feeling a sharp tug on my body as another wild genjutsu attacked me. "Make him scream, make him fucking regret he was ever born!"

I could not voice the hatred I felt. I could not comprehend my anger.

For the first time in my life, I really revelled in another's suffering.

I stood up, secure, confident. He couldn't make me lose it anymore. He was too weak.

So I joined my brother.

And for the first time in my life, I really, really enjoyed giving torture.

-:-

Hours, for us, it took hours, while in the real world, it could take several dozens of minutes.

He died. The moment I felt his tainted spirit leave my body, I saw the world from the different perspective. I was no longer in black box with a screen I watched the world through.

I was back.

But I felt anything but alive.

The adrenaline was gone, the hatred was calmed down. Satisfaction was dulled at the moment, and the guilt came. The moment I had to face reality once again.

I felt Itachi's limp body fall into my arms and I caught him, laying him gently on the ground. He won, he would be fine soon.

I looked around me, but I couldn't really SEE anything. I felt as if I was in some kind of weird daze. Where was I anyway?

"Uchiha?" I heard a woman's voice. I think I knew it. "Uchiha, do you hear me?" The voice asked again.

"Hn…" I replied, finding no other word I could use.

"He's in shock," said someone else. Another familiar voice. "Sasuke, do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Hn…"

I looked around and the only thing I was able to see was a pair of terrified blue eyes.

Naruto.

I shook my head and immediately took a few steps back.

No. I couldn't look at him.

How could I ever look him in the eye? How could I after seeing seven months of tears streaming from them under me?

"Sasuke… Sasuke, what's wrong?"

I backed off again.

No.

No.

I couldn't stay there.

No.

"Sasuke!"

No.

I turned around and began to run wildly forward.

"SASUKE!!"

There was only one place I could go to. Only one place I belonged to. After all, wasn't I him? Wasn't I that monster?

Yes, I was. I was.

And so I ran.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

He ran away, but I let him run. I didn't chase him, I knew it was futile. Whatever the path was that myself from the dream chose, it surely involved me running after him at that very moment.

And it was for nothing. I had to stay in Konoha and finish what I started back at Oto. And I had to do it fast. As long as I could receive my goodbye note with the treasured "I love you," my plan could work.

This one, I couldn't screw up.

There was chaos around me. Sound ninjas were either killed, or they ran away, from what I've heard. There were people hugging me, crying, yelling. I hardly registered any of it.

I was free

I was free and my nightmare was over.

The feeling of relief overcame me totally. I felt like fainting. There was only one voice that took me out my little heaven.

"Take him to the hospital, to the most guarded room," I heard. "For his crimes, not even helping in killing Orochimaru can bring redemption." I looked at Tsunade and the group of ANBU who picked Itachi's body up. "As soon as he's in proper health, he will be executed."

-:-

**A/N: **Before someone asks, two things:

1. In civilised countries there's often a habit of healing sick people, even if they are condemned to death.

2. Having your body possessed by someone for months couldn't go without leaving a trace on one's psychic, I think. Hence Sasuke's behaviour at the end.

Yes, the next chapter will be the one with the first part of Naruto's jutsu. I still wonder if I should just mention what it did or actually describe it (it would have a form of a scenes, like a little stories in this one). I personally find the describing idea more appealing and refreshing (and allowing to think, since I would surely stick there some more hints about the normal action), but how do you think I should do it? If I won't be in some stupid stubborn mood, I'll do it the way you, my readers, choose, should you dislike such things. I owe you something for that awful OroNaru.

Review, please, and remember to tell me if something is unclear. I'll see if that's purposeful or just my bad and I'll do my best to fix it.


	30. Paradise Lost

**A/N:** Right. Hello. This chapter will be constructed in a weird way, just so you don't get confused – first part without Italics you may treat as the ending for the one before, I just wanted to leave it as it was, seemed more dramatic xD

Then there comes the other part of a chapter, which is the jutsu. It's separated in two parts and written in italics (with normal formatting for our Sasuke and Naruto talking/thinking/doing things if needed). I suggest treating this a little differently than all others. And look closely in both of them, because even if they are not what actually happens there WILL be things and details (in this and the next one) that can reveal something about the plot and show what can be changed/done/who knows what. Just a little play on my side. I hope you enjoy it.

**-Chapter ****Twenty Nine-**

**Naruto's POV**

I came back from the forest, feeling depressed as never. I was used to Orochimaru killing people by taking their chakra and then giving it to me to sustain myself, but right now, I was alone and surrounded by people I cared about. And thanks to that seals of his it was no longer my decision to take or not to take. If I didn't I would fall into some kind of idiotic rage and probably killed random people to ease my pain. He made sure that seal did it's work the best it could. It was scaring me to death.

I came back to Sasuke's room I now took as mine and rarely left. Seeing people was the last thing I wanted these days, no matter how weird it sounded. I left Samehade and lied on the bed.

I had to wait for the night to come if I wished to have a slightest chance of helping convict.

I looked once again through my notebook I took with me from Sound. What would the jutsu show finally? Would it help or rather make things worse? I couldn't say, I had no way to test it before actually casting it.

I turned to the other side and waited.

-:-

I walked down long stairs leading to the dungeon. Few days have passed since he was caught, Tsunade decided his wounds were healed enough for interrogation. At first she wished to just kill him, but when they discovered the Jinchuuriki was taken during the whole mess and it was not done by Orochimaru, the plans have changed.

But of course, he wouldn't say a word. He was a master of torture, and I sincerely doubted anything Konoha had could break him. So he would be killed in a matter of a few days.

And I felt I couldn't allow that.

He warned me. And now I knew that if I have listened and just stayed put, not following Sasuke, none of this would have happened. I remembered Sasuke's eyes when he looked at me after being freed – something broke inside them. And then he ran away.

If I was to blame anyone it would be me alone. And whatever the reason of Itachi's warning was, this time, he did it from the good will. And I felt indebted, even though I refused to follow his advice.

I walked to the guard before the prison door. He threw me a disdainful look. Yeah, "Kyuubi's vessel" who couldn't even die. I was told, that many older people of Konoha believe I was rescued by a demon by merging with him, in some way they obviously thought up. And all Tsunade could do was threatening those who would try to harm me.

"What do you want here, Uzumaki?"

"Nothing much," I said and before he could notice, I threw a poisoned needle at him, hitting straight on the neck (I couldn't miss standing right next to him).

I caught the body before it fell and laid it on the ground. Then continued my walk inside.

-:-

I found him lying awake in his cell, unmoving. In the darkness I could see only his darker shape on the gray sheets - he wore black pants and vest, hair, loose, obscuring his face a little. Chakra cuffs on his wrists and ankles were the only source of light in the cell.

Unpleasant feeling twisted my guts.

"Itachi," I said and backed a step away when his eyes laid on me. "Can't you open those cuffs and run?"

He looked at me as if I was a total idiot.

Well that moment I felt like one and could hardly act otherwise.

"Why have you come here?" he asked. "Surely you didn't knock the guards down just to ask me if I can escape."

"Actually… No. I came for answers."

He raised his eyebrow, sat up and as I watched him chained and convicted to death, yet calm, like he just didn't care, I couldn't help but think about Sasuke. How damn similar they were to each other. It sent shivers down my spine at the reminiscences of dreams I had.

"Ask."

Ask? Just like that? No games, no demands?

I forced myself and came closer to the bars, taking out a key. "There's no time," I said. "I can free you, I have a key," which I took from Baa-chan when she was drunk, but that I decided to omit. "But then, I want answers."

"You'll get them," he said, but I saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes.

"You're ready to die with dignity, but you'd still rather live, won't you?" I asked him.

"I guess you know enough about life and death to answer this question. You were the one who craved for life and yet threw it away, not giving it a deeper thought."

"There are some things that matter more than life for me."

"You just answered your own question, Naruto."

I frowned at him and changed the subject. "Can you erase guards memory? I'd rather not be the one to blame. Others would be hurt instead."

He nodded. I opened the cell door with the big key taken from the guard and threw him a little special one to unlock himself.

I am crazy.

I just let out the most dangerous criminal out of Konoha's jail.

I backed to the wall when he walked up to the guard and kneeled before him, putting his fingers on unconscious man's temples.

"They'll remember Akatsuki coming for me," he said.

"What about the key from Hokage?"

"Do you really think they couldn't steal it if they knew where it was? They'll assume they did."

Probably they could. But they were not allowed to watch Hokage hide her most important stuff.

I was trusted. And I failed totally.

I felt like a damned traitor. And like shit, which was really nothing new.

-:-

I got out first, leaving him to take care of the rest of the guards. He joined me not long after, and fell on the pillows under the opposite wall. I was grateful for keeping his distance. Just then I noticed he still wasn't in his best shape, few bandages here and there told me he's already been interrogated.

"I have to ask one thing more… how come you can come to this place and trust the owner?" I asked. Yes, we again were in that Akatsuki Inn, as I began to call it.

"Daughter of the owner is being held captive by us."

"Oh."

How could someone admit like that he holds a person captive was still beyond me.

"Ask your questions, Naruto," he said, unwrapping white cloth from around his hand. It was not the wound he inflicted upon himself, I saw it pierced through the palm. He winced upon looking at it and brushed his hair from the face.

"Did you capture Sasuke those eight months ago when he left Konoha?" I asked.

"No."

"No? But you were with him. You took his eye, you…"

"I didn't capture him, he came to me. We needed time to prepare him for the plan of killing Orochimaru once and for all," he answered, calmly, looking at me, but I kept my head down. Not because I was afraid of his genjutsus, he could put me under them without using his eyes. "I didn't take his eye. He gave it to me."

What?

"G-gave it to you?" I was sure I heard him wrongly.

"Yes. I was blind after the fight."

"But Orochimaru said, he remembers… he even shown me that memory…"

"Whatever he has shown you, was a lie. I hid Sasuke's memories, and those that were too strong to hide, he changed, modified so Sannin saw tragedy and hate, saw that I ripped that eye of his head without his consent. And that's what you saw as well, a fake."

Before my next question could leave my mouth I shoved it back where it came from. Could it be that something changed? That he hated him no more?

"Why he had to have them?" I asked instead.

"Think."

I thought for a moment and it became quite obvious to me. "To lower Orochimaru's guard… Make him feel secure. He was so sure, so full of himself, so damn convinced he can do anything…"

"Yes. He expected anything but cooperation from Sasuke's side. Why do you ask me if you know the answers, Naruto?"

I blinked at the question.

"What do you mean?"

"I am sure if you think hard enough, for this you'll find the answer as well. Do you still remember that dream in which you saw those marks you have on your hands?"

"Yes, of course," I said.

"What else did you see?"

I sighed. Reminded of the vision again, I felt that if my plan fails and I will end up on that clearing with goodbye note, I will never stand again from there. I'll just lay there for all eternity, not even able to die when Sasuke does, because fucking Orochimaru made our fates independent… And me immortal.

"Sasuke became Otokage, captured two Hyuugas, who are on that mission right as we speak, and was at the war with Konoha. I'm sorry, I know nothing about Akatsuki's fate."

"Sound Kage…" he said, silently.

"That's good?"

"That means everything went against thought of many people. I assume you won't rest until you change it?"

"I can't do much. After I went and met him he talked to me for a short while then kicked me out and I would never see him again."

Itachi closed his eyes and leaned on the wall. "So tell me your plan."

"How do you know I have any?"

"That much is obvious."

"Why would I tell you that anyway?" I asked.

"Because you need my help."

"What? Why do you assume I do?"

"Because you're still here. You have no more questions, and yet you sit with the man you hate, when your best friend is out there."

"Could please stop looking into my mind?" I asked, fidgeting with the pillow's tassel, suddenly feeling even more unsecure.

"It's just simple analysis."

"Please, stop analysing my mind then."

"Why, it's very interesting subject."

"Please, don't."

He tilted his head to the side, and I felt as if his eyes were piercing deep through me, but he said nothing more.

"There's… a jutsu, I worked on… It's genjutsu type, but it has glitches I don't know how to remove…"

"Do you have it with you?"

"Yes."

"Show me."

I took out the scroll and stood up, but my body refused to move forward. I was uneasy with any proximity with other people, but I could fight it and I did, the last three days.

But him… I just could not move forwards. He was too much alike, too much. I threw the scroll to him, even though my actions and hesitation probably made me look like a total idiot to him.

I shouldn't care.

But I did. I always cared too much about what people think. All people.

I could almost imagine Sasuke in his place teasing me with his stupid comments. I smiled to myself, but that smile fade soon.

That Sasuke was gone.

Itachi focused on the notebook and a scroll, moment later took out the pen attached to it and began scribing something down.

Aye. True prodigy.

-:-

It took one week before the jutsu was finally finished. Itachi's notes were priceless. He indeed deserved to be called genjutsu master. I was praying everyday that I wasn't too late, that I wouldn't come there one day later than I was to come.

That day, was Hinata's life.

In the vision it seemed like months could pass since we met last time, but I knew better. I wouldn't wait months, I wouldn't even wait weeks. I would go as soon as I managed, travelled to Suna for permission, tried to formulate the easiest plan I could.

This time I had something more, but I couldn't allow myself to sidetrack and visit Gaara, I've spent that time finishing the technique.

When I ran into the Sound, no one stopped me. They were expecting me. Sasuke was expecting me. He told me so.

Under the door I saw the guard, his face was just the same I saw in the vision. So far, it was all same. Maybe, maybe I was not late.

"I need to see your Kage," I said. "He's awaiting me."

"I was told to let no one in."

"Go, ask him," I urged the man. "Tell him his shadow came."

The ninja narrowed his eyes looking at me and then told me to follow him. I waited inside, and soon I saw him coming back.

"You may go," he said.

I nodded and followed the dark corridor.

"So you came, my shadow" I heard the familiar voice from inside the room at the end of the hallway.

"Of course I came, Sasuke. I will always come, just like that shadow, following you wherever you go.You promised me to come back," I said.

The light was turned on and I saw him, leaning against the wall, his hand on the light switch. There, beside him, hung calendar, and the date… was exactly same.

Fate.

I looked into his mismatched eyes, silver as always squinting from the brightness.

"Don't tell me, that some promises are better left broken," I said, before he could reply to me. "Don't tell me what is right, what my mind tells me and what I do want myself. Don't try to convince me to leave."

I saw his eyes widening in surprise and I took a step forward. I had to reach him, touch him, to make the jutsu work,

"Don't tell me I can't forget things, we both know that's true. Don't tell me I'm wounded and there will always be scars left. We both know that's true as well. Don't come towards me to prove me, I'm scared. I am," I took another step. "But I am fighting it. I am coming to you, because I have something to show you. I love you, I loved you the entire time and nothing will ever change it. Nothing."

He opened his mouth to say something, but I put a finger on his lips.

"And don't tell me I am powerless, Sasuke. Don't tell me I can do nothing, before you see what I have to show you."

-:-

_-__**Part 1:**__ Paradise… -_

**Sasuke's POV**

"What did you do?!" I yelled, looking around the blackness surrounding me. I felt I was captured in illusion. "Kai!"

Nothing. It was some other, weird kind of genjutsu.

"Don't, Sasuke. You can't escape it," I heard his voice, but I could see him nowhere near. "It's alternate reality. I don't know what we will see," he said silently. "I didn't plan the events, I just placed a point in time and changed one decision made. That's, how the future would look, if that day I wasn't captured by Akatsuki. If I valued my life more than I value yours. You do know, they got me, because of you, don't you?"

I did.

"It's impossible to see the future."

"Is it? How would I know tomorrow you wish to kill Hinata? How would I know that you have Neji captured? How would I know everything you wished to say to me when I came to you just a while ago?"

"I don't know… I don't know Naruto… But… leave me be. Go get your own life and forget about me. It's high time you did this."

"That time will never come, Sasuke. Watch."

-:-

"_It's good you came, Naruto," Sakura sat on the couch and __took a bowl of chips. "It was more than obvious trap. I can't believe you even thought about going."_

"_You know me when it comes to Sasuke. I would do every stupidity if I believed it may lead me to him."_

"_That wouldn't lead you to him, baka! That would only get you killed."_

"_I'm not so easy to kill, Sakura-chan!" he rubbed the back of his head grinning and helped himself with the chips._

"_I know you're not. Don't worry Naruto, we'll find him. Together. Without fake help from the Akatsuki. And… I think Tsunade-shishou is having some surprise for you."_

"_Surprise from Baa-chan?!" Naruto jolted upwards, his eyes gleaming with mirth. "I love surprises! What is it, do you know?"_

"_Yes I do."_

"_Tell me! Tell me!"_

"_No!" Sakura laughed._

"_SAKURA-CHAAAAN!" the Dobe wailed into heavens._

"_Not going to happen, baka. Now sit down and let's watch something. We were supposed to have a movie night, remember?"_

"_Sure I remember, but… but… pleaaaasee, Sakura-chan, teeelll me."_

"_No," she said and turned on the TV._

"_Isn't Sai coming along?"_

"_No… He's on a mission, remember? He's back tomorrow."_

"_Oh, right!" Naruto smiled and immediately moved closer to Sakura and grabbed her arm. She pretended not to notice but I saw a little smile appearing on her lips._

_-:-_

The scene changed, I found myself back in the blackness, but this time, in the distance I saw Naruto's silhouette.

"You two are getting along pretty well, don't you?"

"We miss you all the time, Sasuke. You were the part of our team and will be one forever."

"This isn't true. I left the team, the bonds were cut. You need to move along."

He shook his head. "You really are stubborn. Can't you see that we can't be complete while you're away? Can't you see that we need you back there? That knowing of friend lost somewhere in the world won't ever let us go?"

"You're wrong. You are the stubborn one. Too stubborn to understand."

He walked a little closer and I saw a smile on his lips. But it was a sad smile. He waved his hand and the world appeared again.

-:-

_Naruto was sitting on one of the Hokage's head__s, gazing onto Konoha, his face adorned by a blissful smile._

"_I'm gonna bring Sasuke back and then, with support of an only Uchiha survivor I will sure become a Hokage, dattebayo!" I heard him chuckle to himself. "It's not like he will deny me that after I put some oil into his empty head, yup!"_

"_Yo, Naruto, why are you talking to yourself?"_

_He jumped on to his feet and turned around immediately, his cheeks covering with deep blush and hand, as always, at the back of his head, while the other fidgeted with something in his pocket._

"_I am not talking to myself, Kakashi, you had to mishear me."_

_Kakashi's visible eye smiled and Naruto pouted at b__eing caught. I barely remember anymore how he looked grinning and smiling like an idiot. All I have before my eyes are tears, screams and a trembling body, that begged not to hurt him anymore._

_But here he was, happy, alive._

"_There's something we need to talk to you about, Naruto. I advise you to dress in something… better, more elegant. And then come to Hokage's office. You've one hour, don't be late."_

_And at that Kakashi disappeared in the puff of smoke._

"_Don't be late, who are YOU to tell me that!"_

_-:-_

_Scene almost immediately changed and revealed Hokage's office, inside I saw the elders of Konoha, under the wall, stood Naruto. But it wasn't Naruto from the vision, it was Naruto from my reality. I saw his circled eyes, sad smile and no matter how hard I could look, there was no more shine on his face._

_He glanced at me, but that moment the door flung open and Uzumaki from the alternative future ran into the room._

"_Tsunade-baa-ch-", he stopped in the half word and eyed all gathered people suspiciously._

_Kakashi cursed under his breath, looking at the "elegant" clothes he wore. It was not the orange jumpsuit, but the casual black shorts and a t-shirt with printed image of ramen could not be classified as appropriate for meeting with that company._

"_Naruto, behave!" Tsunade berated him and stood up. "This is whom I want to take my place," she said. "And I will hear no arguments. Feel free to ask him your questions, I'm sure he'll meet your expectations. Being a Hokage is not about being a snob. It's about virtues and wish to protect and bringing Konoha to the glory. And Uzumaki Naruto here, will do it best of us all."_

_Naruto, or even both of them, blinked with surprise._

"_H-Hokage? Me?"_

"_Yes, Naruto. You."_

_-:-_

"So this is how the life would go, Dobe. All your jutsu did was prove the truth in my words. If you stopped you chase after me, you wouldn't lose your life and your greatest dream would be achieved. Seems like paradise to me."

"You're wrong."

"I'm not. You saw for yourself, that would happen."

"I tell you, you're wrong. Because becoming the Hokage is not my greatest dream."

"What is it then?"

"You."

-:-

_-__**Part 2:**__ …Lost –_

"_Lie… Charade… What fucking right did they have?! WHAT FUCKING RIGHT I ASK?!"_

_I saw my own self, dressed in my Sound outfit. He was standing alone over a lake. Picking up a big rock he threw it into the water._

"_Relax, man."_

_He turned around and faced Suigetsu, who leaned on the tree with his ever present drink in hand._

"_Shut up," that Sasuke said, shutting his eyes and turning around. _

_I walked around him to see his face and yes._

_He was crying._

"_I killed the wrong person," he said, too quietly for Suigetsu to hear. "It's that fucking village who's responsible for killing my clan!"_

_The other one watched him for a while and then retreated back into the forest leaving "me" alone._

"Did you know?" I heard the voice from behind me.

I turned around and looked at Naruto, in his eyes I saw fear.

"Yes," I said. "Itachi told me everything."

"Will you ever come back home, Sasuke?"

"I have no home. Oto is closest there is."

"Please, come home…"

I turned away from him seeing another character coming into scene before us.

"_Uchiha Sasuke," the man said. "I have an offer you and your Hawk team may be interested in. My name is Uchiha Madara, you might have heard of me…"_

-:-

"Who's team Hawk?" the question echoed in the nothingness we were in.

"I have no idea. I guess, in our reality it was never created."

"Who was this man?"

"That doesn't matter. I've never met him either."

"Does it still sound like paradise to you? You were crying there, you were grieving a man, who's still alive here."

"I've been crying too, Naruto. And I spilled much more tears that you could see in that scene."

"Why were you crying?" he asked.

"Because of… you."

-:-

"_No! I do NOT agree to send an elite ANBU teams, more! I don't agree to send ANY team after him!" Naruto shouted pounding the desk with his clenched fist, his eyes were watery, he was barely holding tears in them._

"_Naruto listen for gods' sake!" Tsunade shouted. "You're a Hokage now, it's NOT your role to go around and hunt criminals, especially that dangerous! You are to stay and protect Konoha from every direct danger!"_

_Naruto was fuming, he took of his Hokage hat and threw it on the floor. "If I am not allowed to go for him I don't want this fucking job! He is NOT a normal criminal. He is SASUKE, have all of you forgotten what that name means to me?! Have you forgotten WHO HE was to me?! How in the hell can you expect me to sit right here while some you go and slaughter him?! Are you out of your mind?!"_

"_Naruto, calm down, nobody's going to slaughter him…"_

_Naruto's eyes darted to Iruka, who stood in the corner of a room._

"_I am not a child anymore, sensei. I am not naïve enough not to understand it. He is a threat and you are all trained to eliminate threats. This is not the first time you wish to kill him!" He looked at Sai, who nodded. "But this time… This time will be different. This time I am the Hokage and I will decide and don't you try to disobey my will!"_

_His eyes flashed red and I noticed the whisker marks on his cheeks getting darker. Sakura was the one to come and lay a hand on his shoulder. "Naruto, calm down, please."_

"_I will. You, Sakura, are going to take my place for the time I am away. I will hear no more."_

_And with that he walked out of the door shutting the door loudly behind him._

-:-

"_Sasuke."_

"_Naruto."_

_They stood both, facing each other. Alone. Around was nothing but cliff and a sea._

"_Come back home, Sasuke," Naruto said, pain in his eyes as he looked at "me" dressed in Akatsuki robe. "Everything will be different. I know what happened, I know why, and I would have never done the same. I am Hokage now, you know? And I can promise you, everything will change, I will do everything to make your life better, give you everything I can, just… please come back."_

"_Can you give me back my family? Can you give me back a brother slain by my own hand due to Konoha's intrigues? Can you give me back my innocence?" He took few steps towards Naruto, and he didn't back away._

"_I can't… You know I can't do that… But I'll give you everything else you want, please, please, I can beg you, just don't turn away, don't go, because I can't let you go…"_

"_Can't let me go?"_

"_I… I came here to fight you, but I… I'd rather die myself Sasuke! Please don't make me do this, don't make me fight you till death!" He hid face in his hands and fell to his knees. "I can't do this…"_

"_Then why have you come for me? Couldn't you send someone who can?"_

"_How can you be so damn cold?! Don't you feel anything, Sasuke?! Don't you feel a thing when you look at me? We were friends, you told me that. You told me when you spared my life back there in the Valley. How can you not feel anything?!"_

_Sasuke kneeled before him and took hands away from his face, wiping the tears. Naruto raised his eyes and looked at him._

"_You're weak," he said. "Fight me! That's your duty so fulfil it!"_

"_Sasuke!"_

"_Fight me!" he jerked the smaller one up. "Fight me now!"_

"_I can't! Don't you understand it Sasuke?! I don't want to fight you! I want to bring you back, I want to change your mind! That's why I came, not to kill you!"_

"_Well time for the tough lesson of life, Dobe. Life is not always going the way you want it to!" He pushed him back. "Prepare yourself or this time, no one will stop me!"_

_He took off his sword and charged._

_Naruto from my reality backed away a step. His eyes stuck on Sasuke._

_Naruto parried the blow, but the next __one cut his leg._

"_You're… you're serious…"_

_Sasuke stopped and smirked. "I told you, fight me. This is our last duel, Naruto. And this time, winner will be only one."_

_And they began to fight, becoming two blurred clouds._

"Illusion can't keep up with the fight," Naruto explained to me, barely audibly. "Would you kill me, Sasuke?"

"Would you kill me?"

He didn't reply, and I kept my silence as well.

_Suddenly the figures became sharp again._

_There was blood._

_Naruto turned around and his eyes widened. "Sasuke? Sasuke?"_

_My alternate coughed, spitting blood, which fell on Naruto's white robe._

"_Sasuke!!"_

_They both looked down. Blade of the sword pierced his chest, edge visible on the back, cutting the Uchiha clan symbol in half._

_And the handle of a sword now rested in Naruto's hand._

"_SASUKE NOOO!!" He yelled and took the sword off the wound. "No… No…"_

_But there was too much blood. He coughed again. The lung was pierced._

_The body limply slid down, eyes losing Sharingan and turning back into __black._

_Naruto caught him, tears streaming down his face._

"_Don't die, don't die, don't die…"_

_But I died. There, in his arms._

-:-

_He came back to Konoha, with my body on his hands. His face covered with tears and blood, arms barely holding the weight anymore. And I knew it's not psychically heavy, it was remorse, that pushed him down to the ground. Remorse, and grief._

_And I knew who won that fight back there._

_I did._

_People on the streets walked out of his way, as he headed into my house. There, he walked to the gardens and lied the body down, with more care one could expect from a ninja. He looked at the body for a moment, and the left, going to the tower._

_Inside I heard Sakura's question of "what happened?"_

_No answer followed. He looked her in the eyes and that told everything._

"_I took his body to Uchiha gardens," he said. "Tomorrow, he will have traditional burial. I don't agree to treat him like a criminal. I go Sakura, I hope you'll can take care of everything."_

"_I… I… Of course… Of course, Naruto…"_

"_Thank you. I love you Sakura."_

_And we got out of the of the office, making his way back to the body._

_We both watched as he knelt down._

_And then he took the sword he killed with, the blood still staining the blade. He put it against his stomach._

_And pushed._

_A muffled yelp escaped his lips, as he removed the blade and threw it aside._

_He leaned down and with the last effort placed a gentle kiss on the cheek, pale as snow._

"_You were the first to make me feel alive, Sasuke. And you're the only one I wish to end it with."_

_He rested his head on my chest and his eyelids fell down._

_And he died. There, in my arms._

-:-

**A/N: **… If canon will end with anything close to that one… I hope I will not hear about it.

The next chapter will be the second part of a jutsu, in similar way to this one, just showing the alternative if Naruto left the moment they are in reality. Did you like the way it was shown or should I rather skip the description?


	31. For the Heart I Once Had

**A/N:** I have this thing about writing that sometimes things happen I could not foresee. This chapter was going to be totally different, even before the last one was posted. And yet, suddenly, it turned out like it is.

This may be the last chapter of "Over My Dead Body", folks. If so, I want to thank you all here for your great reviews and supporting me through all 31 chapters. Why it "may" be the ending is said in the author note at the bottom. Done talking here.

Title comes from Nightwish's song.

Thanks to JadeOokami for betaing :)

**-Chapter Thirty One-**

_- For the Heart I Once Had –_

**Naruto's POV**

"This is the past," he said to me, as the jutsu finished along with the last of my breaths. His eyes were blank, and I could read nothing from them, but in my heart I felt a stinging bitterness and I had to fight tears back.

It could be just an alternative, just what could happen in the past.

But it was still a possibility. I was so close to choosing the other path, the path that would lead there. I went to the Akatsuki, into their trap, on a whim, just… because I was suddenly struck by a memory of a Sasuke so treasured, I couldn't sit down.

Had I not looked at the photo, it could be reality…

"It could happen, Sasuke… it almost did."

"It didn't. It won't. Everything's different now."

"That's not my point, why won't you listen to me for once?!" I suddenly could not hold it in any more. I pushed him hard to the wall in anger and despair. "Why won't you do that for me, for everything I've been through for you, why can't you come back to Konoha?! Why can't you allow me to feel safe, to feel that I did something to prevent my vision from coming through?!"

"Sometimes things that seem bad at first don't turn out wrong in the longer run, Naruto. You've seen today in your vision and nothing after it. You do not know how life will go if you leave."

"You told me you loved me, Sasuke…" I whispered, feeling the tears flowing freely down my cheeks. I didn't care if I looked weak to him anymore. I can look weak, as long as he comes home. As long as this nightmare's over.

He raised his hand as if to touch me but retreated it immediately when I flinched.

I cursed myself.

"I do," he said softly. "And that's why you have to leave and forget. Just look into your vision, Naruto. All I brought you was death."

"Not you! Your departure… your plans, your revenge, Sasuke. Not you. I came here to prove you our fates are intertwined, and that… I need you to come with me. Look… this time, it goes from this day, we'll see, what would happen if I left now."

-:-

_The jutsu took us to a room, lit__ only by candles light. In the middle, under the wall, there was a large bed, with someone laying on it. I came closer to look at the figure, and saw… myself. My eyes were opened, gazing into the ceiling._

_Suddenly the door opened and we could hear the voices from outside, but the words were whispered and inaudible. But the me on the bed moved, and only then did I notice one thing out of place._

_Instead of a right arm, there was only a bandaged stump. My other self rubbed his eyes and blinked when more light fell into the room. Inside came a woman, carrying a package of white cloth and medicines._

"_I'll change your dressing, Naruto-san, alright?"_

"_Yeah…" he said, and winced as she undressed what was left of his arm. I turned my eyes away, not wanting to look at the massacred view._

_But Sasuke, who stood in the corner, had his eyes right on it._

"_Ninjin," I heard a male voice from the door and Sasuke jerked to the side looking at the figure. "Leave us alone."_

"_I have to finish putting on the new bandage, Itachi-sama."_

"_I will do it, go."_

_What was I doing back here? I had to admit, I wasn't willing to face him, ever again. Not even if he helped me make this jutsu._

"_Did you sleep?" he asked me._

"_No. But not because of sliced brain, just the normal insomnia."_

_Itachi nodded and came closer, taking care of the arm. "She died an hour ago," he said. 'There was nothing I could do."_

_I watched as my other self lowered his eyes and sighed heavily. "She just… she didn't wait, if she did we could..."_

"_If she'd waited, he would've killed it, before we could do anything."_

"_I don't understand it, Itachi. What harm would she do to him? Even with two powerful bloodlines mixed, she would be of no threat to him. Ever. I would take care of it, I said I would."_

"_It doesn't matter anymore," Itachi said finishing his job on the wound. "Take her to Konoha and keep the heritage and family history a secret as much as you can. For her own good."_

"_I will… I will, but…"_

"_No buts, Naruto. You know best what to avoid to let her live her life as it should be."_

"_I know," my other self nodded. "What will you do now? Everything will change, won't it?"_

"_Not as much as you would wish for."_

"_So we're be back to being enemies?"_

"_Your words, Naruto, as long as we hunt and kill Jinchuuriki, there will never be peace between us. So be it."_

_There was a moment of silence. "Will you ever try to find Sasuke?"_

"_Wherever he is, he doesn't want to be found. Searching would be futile."_

"_Maybe if he knew about…"_

"_It's too late."_

"Did you meet him before, Naruto?" Sasuke asked taking his eyes off the two figures on the bed.

"Yes," I said. "After you ran away… he was condemned to death."

I saw my friend's eyes widen a little. "Is… Is he… dead?" he whispered.

"No. I saved him."

'Why?"

"He came to warn me when you left to Sound this time. And he hasn't lied. I felt… wrong leaving him to die. I don't know what happened between you two, but I think you wished him dead no more."

"Yes. I asked him to come to you."

"I know."

"Why didn't you trust him?"

"You really thought I would?"

"I hoped."

"Hope's the mother of fools."

"What are you two talking here about?" he asked.

"I don't know, Sasuke. I really don't."

_A crow I've seen before flew down from the drawers and landed on that other Naruto's shoulder._

"_You can use it for an emergency. But you can't kill me through it. Just in case you were to go into that rage."_

"_Aren't we enemies?" that other Naruto asked, touching bird's feathers._

"_Weren't we a few days ago?"_

"_I guess we were…"_

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

_Just like before, the scene changed, but this time the black pit hasn't appeared at all. I was in Konoha, in a place I recognized as the Hyuuga's compound. Before me I saw Naruto, but he was different. I walked around him, to see his face, I've noticed that the jutsu allowed us to move inside as long as we were in the sight-range from the one of us, whose fate brought us to the event._

_Naruto was different, and I didn't mean the arm he lost. His face was rid of every boyish feature, hair a little darker, and he was almost my height, taller than the Naruto from my reality._

_He was fully grown up here. How many years later was this scene?_

_He walked inside and was greeted coldly by Hyuuga Hiashi. Evidently that man never began to like him._

"_I wish to visit a grave and see Neji, Hiashi-sama," Naruto said, and older man allowed him to pass, although a little reluctantly._

_Uzumaki walked forward and I followed him. I looked around but my Naruto was nowhere to be seen._

_I watched as he kneeled down in the gardens, laying flowers on the symbolical grave. I came closer to read the name on the stone pillar._

'_HYUUGA HINATA'_

_Engraving told me that s__he died six years ago._

_Was it me who killed her? I had plans for her, and if Naruto left, I would execute them. The knowledge to gain was too precious to let the opportunity pass. I hardly knew that girl, I'd only heard she was Hyuuga's heiress and that was enough. She wasn't bearing a seal._

_I watched Naruto in silence until I heard footsteps from behind. I turned around and saw none other but Neji. He hasn't change much, his long hair still in that low ponytail, and he moved with the grace expected from a Hyuuga, but his eyes were bound with a black strip._

"_Neji," Naruto smiled at him and came closer to give man a hug. "I'm sorry, I came later than I promised, Hinata wouldn't let me out of the house until Sakura-chan came back and after I had to make all those lists for the Hag, that surely took a while."_

_Hinata?_

_Wasn't she dead?_

_Why would she keep Naruto at home until Sakura came?_

"_That's fine, Naruto," Neji smiled lightly. "Can we go?"_

"_Yeah, sure. Sakura-chan's waiting."_

_They left and I followed them to the other side of the city. There they went inside a little house._

"_But mum!" I heard tiny girl's voice. "I don't want to look like Ino-pig again!"_

"_Ino-pig isn't the only one blonde here. Your dad would like you to look like him."_

_Naruto smiled, and pushed the door to the living room open. That was a real smile that I haven't seen on him for so long._

"_Sure I would," he said, and I saw a little girl who charged at him with a loud joyous shriek._

_She jumped on him and clung to his neck kissing him on the cheek._

"Such a cute kid," I heard and turned around.

The dobe stood under the wall, watching the scene with a smile on his lips.

"You were here entire time?"

"Yes. But I've been watching you. You've killed Hinata in this reality. And made Neji blind."

"I know."

"That's our reality, Sasuke. That's not the past, not the unreal alternative. That's all what will happen if I leave."

"How can you know it won't, if you stay?"

"_This is not fair, daddy," the girl pouted. She had beautiful__ blue eyes, her hair was bright blonde. She looked like a miniature version of Naruto. "Please tell mommy to let me be pink or black or blue. Why do I have to change my hair? Other girls don't."_

_Naruto sighed sitting down and supporting child with his left arm._

"_Because you're special, I told you. Sakura-chan, go with Neji, alright? I'll take care of Hinata."_

_Hinata? So that was Hinata…_

The girl jumped off Naruto's knees. "Wait here, I've made something for you!"

"For me?" he asked smiling. "What could it be?"

"You'll see!" And with that she ran to the other room.

"Okay, have you seen Kakashi?" Sakura asked, when they were left alone. "It tends to appear randomly and when she saw it today again, she began to panic. It would be best for her to spend some time with him, get used to it, understand it."

"Aye, he'll come. He should've been here an hour ago, so I guess we can expect him any moment."

"Good. There's a dress for the evening in the closet, change her later, please. The one she had on her birthday photo. I don't know if I'll be in time and even Kakashi wouldn't be late for the wedding rehearsal."

Naruto smiled. "No problem, love ya, Sakura-chan."

She kissed him, ruffled his hair and then left with Neji.

"She's your daughter, isn't she?" I asked dobe. It was so weird to think of him having a child.

"I don't know," he said watching the girl.

"She looks like you, she called you a father. Why not?"

"Just a hunch…"

"Why else would she be named Hinata?"

"I could have adopted her when she was too small to be named by her real parents."

"She looks no older than seven, I'd say she's even younger."

"She's six, Sasuke. Look," he pointed at a book laying on the table.

I came and saw the last photo in the album, presenting Hinata in blue dress with big bowl of ramen with six candles in her hands.

"Six indeed. But she has to be your child. This is way too ridiculous for any other child to be happy about," I pointed at the ramen-cake.

"May be," Naruto laughed lightly. "But that would mean I'd have to… uh, become a father few months ago, ya know. This photo is new, it's from spring. And it's summer right now, she's six and a month or two."

"It would be about the time I got Samehade. You could theoretically…"

"I did NOT! It's you who forgets whom he slept with!" he huffed and crossed his arms on his chest in the very dobe-fashion like way. So there still was him somewhere beneath that shell he built for Orochimaru. "As much as I would like it, that cute girl ain't mine."

_Before I could reply though, the girl in question ran back into the room._

"_Here!" she said proudly showing an origami fox. "I couldn't do more than four tails… it kept falling apart."_

_The older Naruto's eyes went wide. "Wow, it's beautiful!" he said in true awe._

"_You really like it?"_

"Holy… how old was she again?"

"Six… amazing," I said.

"_Terribly!" Naruto exclaimed admiring the gift. "But what's the occasion?"_

"_Our ramen day is tomorrow! But I couldn't wait…" she said and hugged him. "I love you."_

"_Love ya too, Hina-chan."_

_I couldn't take my eyes of the creation. It had a few glitches and traces of failed tries, but even though I liked to play with origami as a child, I could never make a basic swan at her age. It was unbelievable for a child to make such a complex paper shape. I wondered who taught her that, surely not Naruto._

"_Don't you sometimes miss being a ninja?" she asked and Naruto laughed. "It sounds like a cool thing to do."_

"_It was fun while it lasted. I don't regret it though."_

"_Why? From what mum told me, you were a really good one. You never told me how you lost your arm, why?"_

"_That's not important, it was long time ago," Naruto said smiling. "Hey, why won't we go look for grandpa Kakashi?"_

"_He gets really mad when you call him that, you know that? He says he's too young to be my grandpa."_

"_Don't bother about what he says. He's old and I'm always right, ne?"_

_She stuck a tongue at him. "Almost. But, don't you change the subject on me," she pouted._

"She's smart for her age. And definitely stubborn," the dobe said, smiling. I saw him associating with those little brats from Konoha years ago, but I never thought he'd like children enough to actually smile in a moment like this. But he did. "She kinda reminds of you. You were always trying to outsmart all the elders."

"Tch."

"_I lost it in a last battle I fought."_

"_Really?" Hinata's eyes widened. "Who did you fight? Was it someone evil? Did you kill him? Like a real hero?"_

"_Yeah," he laughed. "He was an evil man, but he's dead now."_

"_You fought him alone? Or with some team of more heroes? Do I know them? Heroes mum read to me about always go in some great, mighty groups to fight the evil!"_

"_There were three of us. You don't know them though."_

"_Who were they? C'mon, tell me more, please! Who was the villain, who were they and how did you fight?"_

_Naruto ruffled her hair. "That's not one of the heroes story, Hina-chan. It didn't end good enough. I'll tell you one day, I promise, but not today," he said pointing at the window. "Look, grandpa Kakashi's comin'. Wait here for a moment, I have to exchange a word with him, alright?"_

"_Che, you always talk without me."_

"_Adult stuff, I don't want you die on me from boredom."_

"_Fine, go."_

"_Don't you sulk on me!"_

"_Pf."_

_The girl turned around and began working again on the supposed-to-be-nine-tailed fox left on the table. I followed Naruto to hear his talk with Kakashi._

"_So what's the deal?" he asked putting some old edition of Icha Icha away. Naruto's eyes fell on the book and I saw a sadness flicker in them._

"_It activated few times, Kakashi. She's scared and she has no control over it. You how many questions and gossips it would raise if others knew, she's not ready for that."_

"_She knows you're not her real parents, doesn't she?"_

_I suddenly felt uneasy. What activated? Why questions? Why panic? Why Kakashi?_

_Six year old…_

"_She never asked, we never told her. I don't know if she knows or not, Kakashi. If I asked, she would wonder and if she does not, I don't want her to."_

"_I understand. But what should I tell her?"_

"_I don't know, figure something out. I was never good at such things, you know that."_

_Kakashi smirked behind his mask. "I know, I know. You're just what Sakura calls you. A baka."_

_He crossed his arms over his chest. "You better be here two hours before the wedding. I need to prepare her before we go."_

"_Aye, aye. Will do."_

"_I mean it, Kakashi!" he yelled after the man, who just ignored him and walked to the girl._

"_Come, Hinata-chan," he said. "We've got an adult-like talk to do, okay?"_

"_Wow! But we can go for ramen later?"_

_Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Your father corrupted you to the bones, you know that?"_

"_What does corrupted mean?"_

"_Never mind. Move it, little one."_

-:-

The next thing I saw was the familiar blackness, but this time some gray light appeared from an unknown source, letting me see the corners of a big, empty room. I was standing in the middle, while Naruto leaned on the wall before me, still smiling a little.

"You will never be a ninja like you were before," I said. "You won't have the chakra you need to fight with. Do you regret it?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I've lost my life for you, Sasuke. And the previous part of jutsu showed me it was the right way to choose."

"I can't understand it, Naruto, I just can't understand why I mean so much to you? Why would you take your life because you killed me, why would you die just in hopes of saving me?"

He tilted his head to the side. "I can't just explain it, you know."

"Why?"

"It's deeper than my mind can reach."

"When did you learn to speak with riddles? Where has the old dobe gone, Naruto?"

He thought for a moment before relying. "I guess, he hid. Just like my Sasuke hid, and I will do everything to free him."

He's changed. I shouldn't be surprised, after everything he's gone through, everything I've put him through. But still… he's been through a lot before, with the Kyuubi thing, and the lonely childhood, and yet he was never like that, he never built walls.

I was the one barred with them all around. I would know if he pretended all his life. I thought, not once, if he's only creating an image of stupid cheery kid, but he wasn't. It was just him.

And now he spoke to me in riddles.

"How does this jutsu work anyway? Why this, and not any other moment in time?"

"I don't know. It bases on our subconsciousness, it shows us what we think is important, what I want to show you, even if I don't know that."

"You cried before," I said. "Why didn't you stop it right there? We both knew what would happen, and yet you watched it till it ended by itself. Why?"

"I can't control it. I can keep this place here for longer, but the moment I let it go, I'm no less helpless than you are."

"When it's over… what will happen then, Naruto? What else do you have up your sleeve? What will you do when I will refuse to go with you?"

He lowered his eyes. "Nothing," came the whisper. "I will beg you until you throw me to that forest clearing that haunted me in my nightmares and live the life we're watching. What else could I do?"

His voice… He tried to hide it, but I heard the despair, the feeling of being powerless in it. I knew how he felt. I was like that before. I think I didn't want him to go through it, but if I went with him, things would only be worse.

Every time we met, things were only getting worse.

He looked at me and waved his hand, throwing us into another part of that crazy genjutsu.

-:-

"_Why didn't you fight? Why did you let me beat you to the ground, not raising your hand in one offensive movement?"_

_It was my voice. The moment the darkness spread, revealing the world, I saw myself, standing straight, hand on my katana pointing down. I was dressed in black pants and a shirt as red as drying blood. And I was an adult as well._

_I pushed the sword down lightly, drawing blood._

"_Why didn't you fight me, Itachi?" I asked again. "You're powerful, you're still stronger than me. You've got the eye I could never beat and yet you just chose to die. Why?"_

"_Same reason..." he said, but I saw it takes a lot to force himself to speak a word. "The same reason you came to kill me, Sasuke."_

_The tip of the blade slid down his neck and chest, leaving a bloodied trail on the pale skin. I backed away a step. Why would I come and kill him? Why would I ever chase him again? This was our reality, this was not some made up thing from the past that could never happen._

_This was exactly what will be if today I send Naruto away and proceed with my plans._

_This is our tomorrow._

_And I forgave my brother._

_I love him._

_Why?_

"_Why?" vision Sasuke echoed my unspoken question, yet in his voice there was no concern, no wonder._

_It was rather mocking._

"_Because I love you," Itachi said quietly, his eyes following the red line on his chest._

_Sasuke laughed. "So ironic, don't you think, Itachi? Our roles changed," he crouched down and licked the blood from his sword. "Now you be a good brother and tell me how to execute that jutsu to kill him."_

"_No."_

"_I will have it anyway. I can either take it from your mind or from your lips, that's the only difference. If I were you, I would choose the latter possibility."_

"_I will not tell you, Sasuke."_

_Kill him... He means Naruto. The jutsu Itachi knows, able to kill Naruto._

_I could not understand._

_Why would I do that? I do not want to hurt them, neither of them. I told him to leave for his own good, because I wish to hurt him no more._

_But I do not wish to kill him. I'd rather die myself than take his life away again._

"_You will, Itachi. You will tell me everything you know," he took Itachi's head and made him look into his eyes. "You're too weak to fight me."_

_I noticed the movement of Itachi's hand as he reached for the kunai on Sasuke's belt, and before my other self could stop him, he cut his finger._

"_Oh no you're not," I said to him and took his finger into my mouth, sucked on it and spit the blood away. Poisoned. "My plan is perfect, Itachi. You will not destroy it by dying."_

_Itachi's eyes closed, but my fingers reached for his eyelids and lifted them up. "You didn't want to do it the nice way... so we'll do it the hard way."_

_Itachi screamed under my gaze._

"Naruto, shut it. Take us to that black pit, now!" I commanded facing him.

"I can't Sasuke. It doesn't work that way, I told you."

_Another scream shot through my ears and I saw Itachi arch upwards, his face wincing in pain._

"I said stop it! I don't care how it works, stop it!"

He looked at the figures from the vision, and I saw him cringe. "I wish I could, Sasuke... Sasuke, you're shaking."

I closed my eyes and covered my ears with my trembling palms to muffle the sounds and images. But I still could hear those screams. I could still SEE him there.

"Naruto, I can't stop watching!" I yelled. Before my eyes my brother was dying, dying in pain caused my own hand. And even though eight months ago I would pray to see it, now… now it hurt me deeper than cutting sword could.

It was NOT supposed to happen anymore. We did everything to end that nightmare. Forgiveness, love.

"I... I..."

Make it stop... make it stop...

Make... it... stop...

"_That's interesting indeed. Who could have thought?" that... that monster said, when the screams__ finally faded away. "So it seems I have one more Uchiha to kill."_

"_Sasuke..."_

_He smirked and lifted up his sword. "I need to you no more. Goodbye... nii-san. Sleep tight."_

_And he pulled it down, piercing Itachi's heart. The amulet from his neck unclasped and fell down on the bloodied ground._

_No..._

_Why?_

_Why the hell would I do that?!_

-:-

"Naruto! I fucking don't want to see anymore of that! Do you hear me?!" I hollered into the darkness. "DO YOU FUCKING HEAR ME?!"

"Sasuke... I'm sorry, I didn't know what we would see..." he whispered. "I don't know how to end it... I don't know... Maybe... Maybe this scene won't be so bad, maybe..."

"I will KILL you Naruto. I will find you and kill you! I know it, I know I will manage. You can't run from me if I decide to do it!"

"Sasuke... I'm here. I'm alive. It's only a genjutsu, it has to end to let us both free."

I wanted to yell to say to leave us here forever then. I still felt my body trembling, heard Itachi's screams in my ears.

He is alive. He is alive. I haven't killed him yet.

"I don't want to see it. I don't want to kill you..." I said.

He came closer to me. "Then don't, Sasuke. But we have to go there. We have to get through it. I am sorry."

"You don't understand, Naruto. This is ME. It is I who does all those things. It is my future, what will happen..."

Suddenly, a warm hand took mine and gave it a squeeze. I felt him shaking lightly, his eyes scared as he looked at me.

"I'm here and I'm alive. And none of this has to happen."

He waved his other hand and the world appeared again.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

_I was still holding his hand as we saw a small garden__ behind the house. It was nighttime, around us only silence. On the lone swing, swaying lightly sat my older self. Trees were shining in red and orange in the dim light coming from house windows, some of the leaves were falling or laid on the ground already._

_Autumn._

_I heard some ruffling in the trees and we both turned that way. A dark silhouette jumped on the ground, but my other self on the swing did not notice him coming._

"_How long have you been looking for me until you gave up?" I heard that Sasuke ask._

_The blade on his back shone brightly, deflecting the light, his wrists and ankles were bandaged in white, like he did often when he was thirteen._

_My other self turned around and looked at him, eyes wide, mouth slightly open._

_In shock._

"_S-Sasuke..." he whispered._

"_Aa," Sasuke came closer to him, allowing him to see him in his full glory. Hair, eternally spiked, tugged by the wind, smirk on the face. And black eyes cold as ice._

"_W-why have you come?"_

"_Why do you stutter? Did seeing me take away your loud mouth?" he asked tauntingly._

_Myself__ stood up from the swing and came a step closer, eyes never leaving his. "Why have you come?"_

_There was hope in my voice, although that hope was weak. Could I really have lost my faith in him coming back one day? Could I really begin to suspect him of wrong intentions?_

_I know he's done wrong things. Many wrong things. He's made bad choices. But I would never call him evil, I would never call him my enemy. I looked at my Sasuke, standing beside me, his face calm, yet muscles tense, eyes darting from one of us to the other._

_Right now, I would rather die than hate him, __than give up on him._

"_For my immortality."_

_What?_

"_What?" he asked me._

"_What?" me asked him._

"_Immortality, Naruto. You are my way to achieve and eternal life, eternal youth, power, that will never end. I came to take what's rightfully mine. The life you took from me to make yourself stay in this world, I'm taking it back. Along with everything else you have."_

"_Y-you mean that..."_

"_Yes, Naruto, I've came to kill you. And this time, it's only about you. They are all dead, all who could stand on my way, either because of their power or concern. Or so called love. Only you are left, and tonight, it will be all over," he said. "Come to me."_

_And my other self obeyed him. It was not a plea, it was a command._

"You still can do this?" I asked Sasuke. "You still can control me?"

"Yes. It was not bound to Orochimaru, the seal's bound to my body. But I wouldn't do this Naruto..." he said. "I respect you too much for that."

I looked at him. He would never admit he respects me, he would never say such thing right to my face if there wasn't a reason for it. But in his eyes I saw mix of emotions, and I could not untangle them and realize what he was feeling.

"_Take off your shirt and lay on the ground," came the next command._

_While that Naruto was doing as he was told, Sasuke took the sword off his back, putting it aside. He reached for the kunai tied to his belt and kneeled beside me. His fingers traced the pattern on my back and I saw myself shiver under his touch._

"_Don't move," he said. "It's a delicate matter. One wrong line, and everything will be in vain."_

_I could imagine how that felt, being unable to move, unable to say a word, to look back at him, seeking for any hint of human emotions._

"_You may speak, but you're not allowed to scream," he told me._

_But what could I say? Beg him for mercy? It was pointless, I knew it even now. It would take some piece of old humanity for him to understand it, and if there was such a piece... I could not believe he would do it. Not like that. Not without blinking once._

"Would you do it, Sasuke? Would you do it if you could?"

He looked at me, and for the first time, I think, I saw fear in his eyes. "Do you ask me for real?"

Did I?

"No. It's not you there."

"Isn't it?"

_We watched as Sasuke drew a painting on my back with the sharp blade, forming runes of the jutsu that could kill me._

"_It's the jutsu Itachi knew?" I asked him. "Or have you invented a new one just for me?"_

"_It's that one, I __just modified it to suit my goal, and therefore it's more complex."_

"_Did he give it to you?"_

"_Why do you ask?"_

"_Why not?"_

"_He did not. He tried to protect you. I must admit, Naruto, everything turns out so beautifully ironic. But why can't I hear the hate in your voice? Why won't you complete my twisted image of reality?"_

"_You want me to hate you?"_

"_You should," he said, never once losing his concentration, his hand never once wavering in meticulous drawing._

"_I can't. You may kill me, Sasuke, but I won't ever hate you."_

"_Why won't you ask me to spare your life? Why won't you try to convince me otherwise? Where is your will to stay in this world that kept you here even after you died?"_

"_I failed. I failed achieving my most important goal in life and… I guess some part of me died along with it. And I would've given you my life, had you asked for it. Had I known it's the thing you want the most."_

"_You're a fool then."_

"_You're greatest of us all, believe me on it."_

_Sasuke smirked. "Does she live with you?" he asked._

"_Who?"_

"_You know who, Naruto. Does she?"_

_There was a moment of silence. "No," I said finally._

"_You were always a terrible liar. Do you think I could harm her?"_

"_Don't, please."_

"_So you think I can."_

"_Sasuke... do whatever you wish with me, but please leave Hinata alone."_

"_So that's what you named her... Tell me, Naruto, does she know of me?"_

"_I told her about you, but never that..."_

I saw my Sasuke tense visible, his eyes going wide.

"Sasuke? Sasuke what's wrong?" I asked.

But he only stood, stiff as tree, I felt his hand move and he laced our fingers. "Don't you get it, Naruto?" he whispered.

"Get what? Get what, Sasuke?"

"_It's almost done, you know that right? Do you have anything else you want to say before I form the final seals?"_

"_Yes. Let me look at you."_

"_Turn around."_

_I turned around and looked at him, my eyes were wet with tears, but other than that, my body gave him no sign that I was crying._

"_I love you," I said, my hand reached for him and I laid a gentle kiss on his lips. "Do as you will."_

_And he did. He formed the jutsu seals. The image got blurred again, as the lights bursted out, my jutsu unable to follow every colour, every blast._

"I killed you," Sasuke whispered.

"I'm here, look at me."

He did.

"I'm here, alive. It has not happened yet," I said silently.

"But it can."

"Not if you change this. It's your choice."

"Maybe… Maybe it is…"

_The lights went out and the jutsu caught__ back up with the events. There, on the ground where I lied before, was just a pile of colourful dust._

"_Oi! Daddy! What's going on there?" I heard Hinata's voice._

_A moment later, the girl ran out into the garden, in her hands white flower. Stopped dead in her tracks, paper falling on the ground._

"_W-who are you?" she asked, frightened by the stranger in her garden. "Where is my father?"_

"_Right here, little one."_

"_W-where?" she turned, looking around. "I can't see him… Is he hiding from me? And who are you?"_

_Sharingan flashed in Sasuke's eyes. "I am your father."_

I gasped.

"Sasuke?"

He didn't say anything, his eyes following the movements of his alternate.

"Sasuke? Sasuke, is that possible?"

_Hinata's eyes widened and she backed away few steps. "B-but… W-where is… is my daddy?"_

"_He's dead... Hinata," he tilted his head to the side watching the child intently._

_And she just gaped at him, at loss of words._

"_I killed him."_

"_N-no… please, no…"_

"_Don't plea for things already done. Time does not go backwards, child. You should know that, even by now."_

_She looked at him, blue eyes full of tears. It was all beyond the understanding of a six year old child, no matter how smart. She did not live in hell, she had not faced death like that before. How could he expect her to listen to his words?_

"_I could leave you here, child. I could leave you with my face engraved in your memory, grief __and feeling of being betrayed eating away at your soul day after day, month after month until it all changed into hatred, into a wish to slay me, to make me suffer," he kneeled on one knee before her. "But wouldn't that be just a déjà vu?" he asked, taking the girls face into his hand. "Goodbye, Hinata," he said._

_And when his eyes swirled red she yelped. Trembled and then fell limply onto the ground._

_He stood up and looked at her body, at the dust left after me and smirked._

"_And in the end, no one's left. Wasn't it how it always should be?" he raised his eyes into the sky and laughed._

_And I had never heard a laugh that twisted my insides like that one had._

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

It was over.

The jutsu let go of us, and I looked at Naruto, standing before me, holding my hand. On his cheeks I saw trails of tears, new and dried. We stood there looking at each other for a moment, before he let go of me.

"Sasuke," he said. "The jutsu could go wrong. I could mess something up, this child, it's not possible you have a daughter. It all could be-"

"Naruto," I cut him off. "It is possible she was my child."

"Some other… What?"

"I said, she could be my daughter. She was six year old. Count dobe."

His eyes went even wider. "Then… you… then…"

"Yes," I said.

He looked down. "I could guess… There's no other child I would take as mine…" he whispered looking somewhere to the side. "It's… so screwed up, Sasuke. This vision, those jutsus… I'm sorry. If I knew they would show you such things, I don't think I would do this to you."

"You'd rather me become the monster you saw? You'd rather me kill everyone I love or… could love? My whole family?"

"No… I don't mean that, Sasuke. I would do everything to keep you from becoming that, but… you're… crying, do you know that? I've never seen you cry before, and it's me who made you cry now…"

I am crying? I touched my cheek and felt wet tears leaving salty taste on my lips.

There was only so much one person could take… I did not even realize I'm crying. I did not feel like crying.

I felt nothing. Numbness.

I've just learnt I have a child, or will have one very soon.

And yet I still felt nothing.

I came closer to Naruto and he stood where he was.

He looked up at me, I could almost hear his heart beating rapidly.

"I'll go and free Hinata and Neji, I'll give freedom back to that Suna captive of yours. And tomorrow… tomorrow you'll take me wherever you'll want. I have… just one more thing to do."

"Sasuke…"

"Everything will be alright," I said. "I'll make sure none of those things will happen. I'll make sure that destiny will be reversed." I leaned closer to him and whispered in his ear, "I love you. Till tomorrow, Naruto."

-:-

I looked at the little viper sneaking around my fingers. Everything was done, the Hyuugas were freed and safe, Naruto was secured by the seal on his hand.

I know he'll be mad, he'll scream and yell.

But I've seen enough. One time, he changed our paths, he showed me the alternative, but now, when gazed at the future before us, I could clearly see it was even worse one.

I could choose to go with him back to Konoha, to do what he so wished for.

But next time the future might become even worse than the one we've seen. Destiny was capricious and I could trust myself any more. Today, I would never think I could kill Naruto and Itachi… my daughter. Yet a few years from now, I did.

I took the viper in between my fingers and squeezed it. It hissed and darted up my arm in fury, biting down.

I felt the poison flow into my veins.

"Forgive me…"

-:-

**A/N:** I've always seen Naruto as the stronger of the two when it came to dealing with the harshness of life. For those of you who may wonder – yes, I made that one from Cleopatra's death.

And I have a dilemma now, mentioned in the starting note. Shall Sasuke die?

As you may see, I had some more plans for the plot of this story, they're more than visible in the jutsu and previous chapters. But life sometimes leaves loose ends as well, doesn't it? I hate sad endings (doesn't matter if it's real life or any kind of fiction, I'm a very sensitive person, but it's easier to write then to read for me), and I know some of you do as well, but if this story ended here it would have more sense than with any kind of happy ending. And I can close it here (maybe add a little epilogue).

But I've never tagged this fic as tragedy in the first place, not even angst, and if I remember correctly I've promised a happy ending. If I know that a story is to end bad, I'm not reading it, and I don't want to dirty you this way, folks. So I'll leave it up to you to decide, what matters more to you (happy ending or logical one (In psychological way)?). I promise that if the majority of you will want me to continue, I gladly will, I'll tie all those loose ends (will take some more chapters though) and they'll "live" happily ever after. I'm going on my holidays now, I'll be back in August and then I'll either write an epilogue or continue with the story.

There's also a poll in my profile if you like those.


	32. Ne Me Quitte Pas

**Sasuke's POV**

When I closed my eyes, there was an ache spreading through my hand, crawling up through my veins. Dying. I was dying. And even though I didn't know how much time it will take the poison to finally take me out of this world, I could imagine the darkness closing in on me, engulfing me in it's soft arms. There was a moment when I felt scared, when I wanted to take it back. My self-preserving instinct was screaming and pushing me to find the antidote.

But none was near. And I was glad. Because even if some part of me wished to never die, I wished I was never born at all. No matter what I did, no matter what goal I have set for myself, all I did was destroy everything and everyone that I loved.

Everyone who loved me. Two people who love me the most, I almost took their lives. If I did…

No.

I will not. I will not and I'm making sure of it.

Suddenly I felt as if I was floating on the sea, and, ignoring the pain, I allowed the feeling to take over me. Something in it felt familiar, but I couldn't fully understand what. It seemed just beyond my grasp by that moment to summon my conscious thoughts. My brain seemed to cross the point where it could no longer be used as it was before.

-:-

"_Sasuke… Sasuke wake up! Wake the hell up!" Naruto yelled hovering over my unmoving body on the bed. "Bastard, stop this charade right now! It's not funny anymore!" He slapped my cheek hard but his hand was followed by tears falling down on my lips. "Please… please… don't leave me… Don't leave me now…"_

_He grabbed my shoulders and shook me harshly. Why was I having this vision, I did not know. My mind was flying away, it was bringing in the pictures of things lurking inside my head and I couldn't chase them away._

_So I watched it, knowing that every pain he would feel after he discovered my cold corpse would go away, and in the end it will be for the best._

_His head fell down, touching my forehead with his. Tanned hands held the body close to himself as he continued to sob at first, but as the first wail left his lips the others followed._

"_Sasuke, Sasuke…" he was whispering from between the cries leaving his lungs. "Why did you have to do it? Why? I loved you… No matter what… Always… I would do anything, everything, if only you stayed. If only you gave me the chance…" he stroked my cheek gently, his finger touching my lips. "I've tried so hard and yet, and yet what I did lead you to this. Turn the fucking time back… Turn it back and I'll find some way. I would find some way for sure…"_

_I breathed deeply. This was a nightmare. The last nightmare I had to suffer. But it was not reality. He wasn't over my body like that this moment. He couldn't be. I will die, I will be long dead before it happens and… it will change nothing._

_He loves me and I know he does. He proved it more times I could count and even though I was doing for him, I could not feel nothing watching the reflection of his in this dream._

"_I promised myself to never let you go. I always bring you back but you were running all the time… And seems… Seems that you finally found a place I can't bring you back from…" he whispered._

_He stayed like that for a time unknown to me, and everything was getting blurry, all the feelings unclear. Just when he spoke again, I felt I'm still there._

"_I understand why you did it… I think I do," he said and stood up, trying to calm his breath and swallow the tears. The mask, he was putting It back on, I saw it by the despaired look in his eyes when his face in contrast was almost calm by now. "And no matter how I wish to join you, I know you died so I could live. So your child can live. And… Itachi also. The last will of yours, I guess, and so be it, Sasuke. I love you. And this won't change even when you're gone. But know that I hate you as well. For not giving yourself a fair chance. And not giving me a chance to save you."_

_-:-_

"_Dead…" Itachi's voice ringed through my head as the vision changed again, and in the sudden and short enlightenment of my hazed mind I realised it all was some kind of aftertaste of Naruto's jutsu that had to trigger with my dying._

"_You say, he killed himself…"_

_Naruto nodded, looking a little confused. When Itachi raised his eyes to his face, he took a step backwards, as if unsure._

"_I'm… sorry," he said, silently, and when I looked at Itachi I knew what caused that behaviour._

_In the eyes of my brother I saw no more coldness. It was insanity. They sparkled wildly, and Naruto backed away to the door, just before the loud snort left Itachi's lips._

"_Itachi?" Naruto asked silently and when I looked at him, I noticed black circles under his eyes, even bigger than today when he came to Oto for me._

"_Dead. Gone. Lost. Forever." Each word separated by a snort, followed by chuckle._

_And then he laughed. Maniacally, wildly. He raised his hands up and Naruto moved out of the room, pulling me after him by the power of the vision._

_The only time in my life I saw Itachi laughing was after one of the nights we spent in Eda's paradise gardens. But that was entirely different kind of laugh._

_I wish I could make him laugh like that once again._

_-:-_

"_Now this was indeed surprising, yeah," Deidara said as he kneeled down on the other side on Itachi, laying on the bed in his room._

_Naruto threw him the other blond a heavy glare, swaying gently the infant resting in his hands._

"_Shut up already," he snapped and turned his eyes back to my brother. "It should not go this way. I don't know why the fate changed so bad."_

"_Ah, you mean that jutsu you've created?" Deidara asked. "He lived there?"_

"_Yes," Naruto said quietly. "He did."_

"_Did she, un?"_

"_No. But I should lose my arm."_

"_You prevented it, didn't you?"_

_He nodded. "But it should not interfere… I don't understand. He could tell me, I'm sure, but… now he can't."_

_Deidara frowned. "Did Sasuke live in that other alternative?"_

"_Aye, but he did nothing, he was away."_

"_But he was alive, un."_

"_So what?!" Naruto shouted turning fiercely around. The baby cried, he turned his attention to it trying to hush the scared child. "It's alright, little one. It's alright."_

"_So everything, yeah. I guess he just loved him a bit too much. And that fight was not about the bodies, it was about mind, freaking Sharingan. It lost him, his mind was vulnerable after his precious little brother died and he could not resist that power."_

"_I know it was a blow… But I never thought it would break him so hard…"_

"_Obviously it did, yeah. But in the whole mess, who would have thought that Tobi... Eh, forget it. Take that baby to Konoha, we've made quite a mess of her, and you're no better, yeah. Your business here is done. Don't say hi to that pink haired bitch from me, un!"_

-:-

"_We've gathered here today to bid farewell to one of the greatest men the village of Konoha ever knew," said Tsunade, appearing on the dais in the middle of a big place. Around, many people dressed in black had their eyes turned towards her._

_But only one person really took my attention. It was Naruto, standing under the wall in shadow beside me. On his hands he was holding my daughter, her hair not blonde this time, but black, just like mine, but on the left side I saw one strand her hair left in their natural hue. Sakura was holding the girl's hand._

"_He was deemed missing for six years and despite our tries, many tries, we failed to free him from the hands of the organisation known as Akatsuki. Today, the time has passed after which we have to consider him dead," it was evident she had difficulties with pushing words out of her throat. "We shall now honour the death of Jiraiya, Sannin you all know about, with a minute of silence," she looked painfully at Naruto, who wiped the tear from his cheek._

_They stood in silence before Tsunade allowed all those who wished to say the final word to do so, and then I followed Naruto into the house I remembered from the last time we appeared six years after today._

_He carried the girl to her room and laid her gently on the bed. She was almost asleep by the time they got there. When he kissed her forehead goodnight and went, I felt a shiver running down my spine. This day was familiar, this particular one._

_As Naruto sat on the swing in the garden and began to sway gently, he turned his face into the trees behind him._

"_I know I'm waiting for something that will never come," I heard him say. I felt a strange tug, but I dismissed it, delusions were not something I shouldn't expect. "But something stupid made me come here today, because I know it's this day you should come to me. And as moronic as it sounds, Sasuke. I'd rather you come and kill me than not come at all."_

_Again, this jerk, I made two steps backwards under it's power and fell onto my knees, unable to hold still._

"_But I never did get what I really, really desired, ne, Sasuke? That's just the life goes, I guess. And I loved it all as long as there still was hope."_

_I gasped harshly as the breath was taken out of my lungs._

"_But that you took away from me, the moment you went away."_

**:o:o:o:**

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**A/N:** Forgive me the unnatural chapter construction, but I liked it better this way.

Anyway, hi folks, I'm back from my holidays for now and I really want to thanks you all for so many reviews for the last chapter (twice as many this fic usually gets :) ). From those of you who voted for a precise option I found over 20 for happy ending, 1 for sad, 1 bribery trial (yes, I want the cookies now) and 1 death treat. Well, I gave you my word, fellow readers, so here comes the chapter which isn't the last. And the following one will NOT feature Sasuke's funeral (as a matter of fact I don't know how many it will take now to finish this thing in any other way, not rushing what shouldn't be rushed).

And as far as I know I really have to work on the clues-giving art xD After all the (for me obvious, but I do sit in my own mind so that may be the case) hints, in the last chapter, only one person guessed (and told in a review) who the child's mother is. Even though, I thought, it will be "suspicion-friendly" a few chapters back :) So cookies go to rglover. And in the later chapter(s) I will explain how it happened, in case someone didn't see it as coming out of the blue.

Btw, have you heard that canon may end with SasuNaru? Hah, ownage of homophobes.

**-Chapter Thirty Two-**

_- Ne Me Quitte Pas –_

**Naruto's POV**

"She'll be fine," Neji said changing the wet cloth on Hinata's forehead. "She's just drugged now, but no real harm was done to her."

'Yet,' I couldn't help but think. And I could see in Neji's eyes he thought just the same.

But I made it. I made it in the last moment to save Hinata and who knows how much time I would have to save Neji if I failed for her. But it was alright, she was alive and I know Sasuke won't hurt her now. I felt bad, really bad for all the things that jutsu has shown him, but if that is the price he has to pay to get something through his tough skull so be it. I'll be there for him to get through it, should it torment him further.

But I was quite sure it won't. He was too big of a bastard to care about a vision that will not come true. For too long anyway.

"I can't understand how we could fail so miserably," the Hyuuga grumbled. I let him grumble as much as he wanted, as long as he was not back to his destiny shit. This was just some not dangerous grumble of the beaten pride, repeated like a mantra.

Suddenly something moved with loud shriek at windowsill throwing around a pile of papers.

"Miko!" I waved at the bird. "Stop making so much noise, someone's trying to sleep."

The beast was intelligent enough to usually get what I'm saying to it. And smart indeed, it even found me right after Orochimaru was dead and stuck back to me. Itachi noticed it's persistence in following me around and shrugged it off, assuring me it's not a spy and saying that he has no idea why it chose to disobey him and leave the inn where he left it in the first place. Blasted animal, and I thought that if it saw it's master it would go away.

But no. Seems like Uzumaki Naruto just had to attract either little, annoying children of Konoha, or animals being parts of the most hated criminals in his life, as if he was a delicious jar of honey the bears wanted to stick onto. Bad luck anyone?

But this time the bird wished not to listen to me. It creaked loudly, flying onto and pecking my head hard.

"Au! Leave it, bitch!" I shouted, trying to get rid of it. "What the hell?!"

"What's that bird doing here?" Neji asked scowling at my little attacker.

"Nothing," I said, shaking my head to the sides fiercely, and only provoking the raven to dig it's claws into my head harder. Fuck. "Get off!"

It jumped off my head leaving six holes of nice size behind, and flew to the door carrying some blonde hair in the legs. I cursed aloud. It turned it's creepy, turn-one-hundred-and-eighty-degrees-at-once-bird's head and… did it glare at me? Another loud creak came and it charged back at me, forcing me to stand up and run to avoid it's bloody claws.

Futile. It pecked me right in the face and turned back to the door. Neji looked at the scene with eyebrows raised as high as they went.

"What the fuck?!" I asked the bird again. "Are you a fucking dog so you want me to follow you?!"

"Ke! Ke!" it cawed weirdly and as I saw it prepare for another "run" aiming my face I threw my arms up.

"Fine!" I yelled. "I'll go!"

I opened the door and it flew through it like a torpedo, waiting for me at the end of the corridor with glowing golden eyes. I ran after it, and that moment I felt something had to be wrong. After all it was no normal bird and it had never behaved like that. Sure, coming from Itachi it could be just as nuts, but then…

Sasuke?

But what could be wrong?

I sprinted through the corridors, my heart suddenly beating very fast thanks to Orochimaru's idiotic seal. The bird lead me straight into the door of Sasuke's room and there was a slight second I hesitated. What would I see there? I braced myself for whatever it was and kicked the lock open.

Inside, on the bed, laid Sasuke, even paler than usual. He seemed asleep, but I immediately noticed his uncovered arm with a little blood trickling down on it. What the? I ran to him and kneeled down, wiping the blood to see the source.

Two little dots. As if it were a bite.

A bite.

"Sasuke!" I shouted, crawling over him and grabbing him tightly. "Sasuke, wake up!" I shook him hardly, but got no reaction whatsoever.

Nonononononono!

"What the hell have you done?!" I slapped him hard and leaned close to him to listen. He was still breathing, but the hand I laid on his chest told me his heartbeat was slowing down.

I had no delusions. He wouldn't let anything bite him had he not wished so.

I got off him and turned to the bird but the moment I laid my eyes on it turned into a puff of smoke.

I had no time to think. I had no time to do anything. If he died… If he died…

No! He couldn't. Fucking. Die!

I ran out of the room, running as if for my own life, back to the room with the Hyuuga's.

"Neji!" I hollered, before I even got inside. "NEJI!"

He ran out of the room hearing my wild screams. "What is it?" he asked.

I caught him by the sleeve and pulled him after me.

"Naruto, what the hell is wrong with you now?!" he asked as we turned the hall.

"No time! No time!"

We tumbled into the room and he stopped, looking at Sasuke.

"What happened?" his voice was as calm as ever, while I panted heavily, grabbing my knees. More because they were shaking than from the fatigue.

"He's, he's… poisoned. Please, you have to do something. I'm sure some of your techniques can affect his blood flow," I babbled. I didn't know, but I prayed. I prayed hard.

He turned to me his white eyes and looked at me impassively.

"Why should I?" left his lips and my heart clutched.

"PLEASE!" I wailed not caring that probably half of the Sound village could hear me. "I BEG you Neji, do this for me! I promise I'll do whatever after, but PLEASE do this for me! I know, I know what he did and I'll make sure he knows it the bad way but… but…" I felt my throat tightening with bitter taste, images of Sasuke's lifeless body lying there.

I jumped on the bed and grabbed his other hand feeling for the pulse, my other hand on his heart.

Beat.

One beat and the silence. I look at Neji with desperation, feeling the tears beginning to escape my eyes and he breaks.

He came near and I watched as he focused and began trailing Sasuke's arm from the bite upside. His hand glowed lightly with chakra.

"It's too far spread," he said. "If I wanted to stop his blood flow in entire poisoned area, I'd kill him in no time."

"Please… tell me you can do something. Anything!"

"I can slow it. But nothing more."

I nodded and swallowed, but my throat felt no less dry. I got up from bed and run out of the room, checking every other for any sign of stored antidotes. He had to have some somewhere!

Suddenly I heard an explosion. I made a rush to the closest window and saw a fire in the distance. Someone was at the village.

WHY THE HELL DID HE HAVE TO COME NOW?!

I found nothing, but I sprinted back to the room. I had to tell Neji and protect Sasuke at all costs. It was not lost!

It was not yet too late!

If we had to run, I would take him back to Konoha, but there was only a slight chance he would make it there.

The moment I barged into the room the yell shot through the air.

"Heads down, yeah!"

I flung myself at Sasuke, covering him with my body on instinct the moment the roof of the building collapsed with a loud shattering noise. I heard Neji curse and when I looked to the side I saw him getting hit straight on the head with a heavy piece.

"NEJI!" I yelled, hardly realizing the harsh pieces that fell on my back.

"Don't worry 'bout the egg-eye, un! It takes more than one roof to kill the ninja! He'd better not see you here with me, yeah!"

None other but Deidara jumped off his clay monster and landed near me with wooden box tied to his back. He took it off and threw on the bed.

"Get off him," he said. "And you better help me at once."

I blinked at him at a loss of words. What was going on?

He opened the box and shook the contents off it. Lots of vials, most with needles to apply the content.

"You looked as if you wanted to save him, so you better snap out of your daze and freaking get to helping me!" he shouted, pushing the pile of vials my side. "Spike him with those, while I make him drink the rest. This is the best of Sasori's assortment left and one or even some of those should work on him."

"Antidotes?" I asked.

"What did you think? More poison, un? Move!"

I moved. I grabbed the first one and injected it into Sasuke's hand. If he was awake he would kill me for it because my hand was shaking so hard I was afraid not to rip his skin apart. I rubbed the place the needle was in gently, while preparing another one. "Isn't it dangerous?" I asked Deidara silently.

"What? He's dying. What can be more dangerous, yeah?"

"I don't know… There are so many…"

"He'll probably feel like shit and barf like a dog, but what won't kill him, it'll heal him," he said, working on Sasuke's swallowing.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I never thought I'll be glad upon seeing one of the Akatsuki, but if Sasuke lived thanks to him, I really felt like kissing Deidara right away and hugging him to death. But it was still lacking logic.

He sighed, reaching for another vial. "It had something to do with that amulet Itachi put on him. Here I'm enjoying my night, finally rid of Hidan's bloody screams since he went on some mission, and then, out of nowhere Itachi BARGES into my room, you imagine, un? That man never barges. He doesn't run. He walks like a freaking shadow and then he just barged into my room and YELLED, like a madman to move my ass," Deidara threw one hand in the air in sign of disbelief or whatever emotion he felt. "He was babbling something of fools and suicides and overdone jutsus and how Konan threatened to neuter him if he won't do something to save Sasuke and so he wants me to fly to Sound with this box he threw onto me, which, by the way, hurt a lot, yeah. Well, so I flew, because before his hormones calm down after the surgery that crazy woman wishes to put him under, I will surely die and I'm not done with this world yet, so yeah. That's about it un," he threw out almost without breathing in-between the sentences.

To be honest I didn't get at least half of what he said, but I considered it as the best I could get right now, so I focused on the task at hand.

Suddenly Sasuke's arm flinched.

"Oi! He moved!"

"That means nothing but the fact you're nursing is so bad, your shots can wake even a dead man, yeah. Those won't work so fast."

I glared at him.

"When we're done, I'm taking him with me, yeah. You're coming along or pissing off, I'm in no mood to fight you and you can't take me while in the air so don't even think of it, yeah. What will it be?"

"I'll come," I said.

As if I would leave Sasuke to them!

'C'mon, c'mon… You have to make it, bastard!' I thought to him, feeling the hope burning lightly in my insides.

-:-

The flight was the most tragic experience in my life. Enough said that I had to ride on the tail, while Deidara sat like a bloody king holding Sasuke tightly to himself.

I KNEW it was so he wouldn't fall. But that make me feel no less uneasy. Just the way he placed his arms around me told me enough. He wanted him not to fall a little too much.

Kami, was I jealous for my rival in this way? I was never thinking of Sasuke this particular way but just seeing the other man made my blood boil. I tried to look to the ground but that almost made ME fall down, so I was stuck with looking at them or the flying chicken's arse.

Perfect.

I was grateful when we reached our destination and jumped down. I wanted to take Sasuke, but until I managed to get off that clay thing and pick myself off the ground, Itachi himself came and took him, nodding at me as if telling me to follow.

Well, as if I had a choice!

I immediately ran after him. I wasn't going to leave those two alone for one minute either. It was nearing dusk by then and having the whole headquarters silent (as I would expect from a hideout of the criminals really) only fulfilled the image.

He carried Sasuke to some room and laid him on the bed, giving him a long look saying one word so clearly even I could get it.

FOOL. FO in one eye and OL in the other written as if on the paper sheet.

I shook my head. Either the sun on the way here or the stench of all those antidotes was messing with my mind. Definitely. No letters in the eyes. Yes.

Someone knocked on the door even though it was still half-open.

"Come in Ninjin."

I knew that name. She was the girl taking care of me as I lost my arm.

'Damn that jutsu was good,' I thought in an unexpected and misplaced flow of pride.

"His heartbeat is coming back to normal," Itachi said. "Although it's still uneven."

"That doesn't matter," said the girl who evidently was a nurse of some kind here. She looked really nice, she could not be a criminal like the rest of them. And she was not wearing the cloak, just the simple dress in the nice blue shade. "That means one of the antidotes worked, Itachi-sama."

"Good," he said. "When you're done with taking care of him, show Naruto to his room," he pointed at me with his head.

"Eh, what?" I asked. "I'm not going anywhere!" I stood closer to Sasuke with an expression that I hoped looked really determined. But under Itachi's gaze I felt as if it was melting like a fried snowman.

"This is my room, Naruto, and yes, you are leaving," he said calmly.

"I'm staying where he is," I said crossing my arms before him. "I don't trust you with him."

Itachi raised one eyebrow. "I didn't get through all this trouble just to kill him now, you can be sure of it."

"You don't have to kill him," I muttered but I knew I lost this little fight already. If it wasn't Sasuke laying there, helpless and almost dead, I would run as far away from this man as I could. He was really giving me the creeps all over.

"I heard that," he said. "Ninjin, do your job, I'll take care of our guest myself."

Damn.

When he waved his hand at me, I could almost feel like when Orochimaru controlled me by that damn seal. But this time, it was my own mind that just refused to object. I had to fight it, dammit!

He lead me into my room in silence, and only when he moved so I could go inside without being in a proximity that made me uneasy, he spoke.

"You need not to fear me for now, Naruto. Things… happened. And have changed what was before. Go to sleep now, the rest won't be back before the week passes. And avoid Konan, should you see her. She's not in her best… condition right now."

"I know, she asked me for that medicine, but it was long ago. Is she still sick?"

"Sick?" a corner of his lips rose in a different version of half-smirk. "That's what she told you? Fine then, she's still sick, yes. Tomorrow in the morning you may come to see Sasuke."

"Mkay…" I mumbled,

He nodded his head once again, in a silent 'goodnight' of sorts, and left.

I even forgot to have the piss I wished for for hours - the second I looked at my bed I fell on it, dead asleep.

-:-

First, okay, second thing I woke up in the morning was getting lost in the corridors of this place. OF COURSE it had to go somewhere downwards under the ground, how else. No self-respecting criminal could NOT build an underground cavern in his complex. I wandered into the room filled with some awkward drawing on the floor and the walls and everywhere and an unpleasant hunch told me it was drawn with nothing else than blood. After that there was only a jail with someone wailing inside and had the power I would free that poor soul, but being in the mercy of Akatsuki, and having Sasuke on it as well, I'd rather not risk fighting the door, which probably were anti-ninja anyway.

After like, I think, half an hour, I finally found the door I've been looking for. I knocked on it and Ninjin opened them for me.

"Hello," she said and ushered me inside. "Itachi-sama is not here, he's with Konan-sama, but he said you're allowed to enter."

"Hi to you too," I said, kneeling beside the bed. "How is he?"

"Stable," she said. "But you both did a terrible job in applying him all that stuff."

"Well… we didn't know which one is good…"

"I noticed," she laughed lightly. "But he's going to be alright. Can I leave him with you for a while? You would need to change this towel when it gets hot, and call me if anything happens."

"Sure thing," I replied. "Why are you here anyway?"

She smiled. "I'm a nurse they needed, if you live in Konoha you might've seen the inn not far away from it. I was working there until they captured me, so I guess, you could call me a slave, but surprisingly enough, they don't treat me as one."

Indeed she looked normal, not one bruise on her skin, no ruffled hair or chains I could see.

"That's good," I said. "Go do what you have to, I don't want to keep you."

"Aye. Thank you."

I waved at her as she left. I took the towel from Sasuke's head and began gently washing his face and arm. His whole body was burning with a fever, but yes, he was breathing and his heart was beating. And as long as he wasn't moving, just laying there unconscious, I felt no fear and no instinct yelled at me to run away.

I leaned down and kissed Sasuke's forehead once before putting the towel back on it.

I cursed Orochimaru, I don't know which time, for making me fear the one I love so badly. Serves him right to be dead.

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

When the haze was gone and the sharp tugging gave away, I felt the other world meeting me again. Why, I knew not, the first thing I felt was the warmth of the other body and a hand stroking my head in gentle moves. Was I dead or was I back to life for some reason? I didn't want to open my eyes, as they hurt as if I watched the light for too long. And the world threatened to spin around the moment I glance at it.

Whichever world that was.

I moved a little. Where was I?

"Are you awake?" I heard a voice asking quietly.

"I don't know," I whispered back.

"Don't move much yet. Your body is not ready."

"What happened?"

"Nothing, hush," a kiss was placed upon my lips and I relaxed. The smell surrounding me was so familiar, I felt so… safe.

"I should be dead…"

"No, you shouldn't," a hand moved down caressing my cheek in a calming manner, the other, I realized, was holding me to the warmth. "You were rescued. And you will live, even if for now we'll have to make you," the voice was so calm and soft and yet somehow I felt there was no joke hidden behind the spoken words. "Whatever you saw in the jutsu, Sasuke, there are people who will make sure none of that happens. Sleep, you need it now."

"Let me go… please let me go…"

"No, we will not let you go, Sasuke."

"Let me go…"

A hand came over my lips to silence me. "Sleep."

And, as if commanded, sleep came for me again, taking me back to my dreamland. But just like always, with him near, no nightmare dared to come close.

-:-

Next time I woke up, there were voices around, and someone was smearing my face with something wet. I felt much better and more conscious than the last time I could hardly remember. One thing was at least very sharp in my mind.

I was alive.

They saved me.

But right then I was way too weak to deal with that. The part of me that wished to live was dancing with joy, making all my common sense go hide in the darkest corners of my mind.

I raised my hand with some effort and pushed away the wet annoying thing.

"SASUKE!" the shriek, yes, shriek, shot through my ears making me cringe. My head felt as if it was ready to explode or at least fall of my neck.

"Shut up everybody…" I muttered and held my pulsating temples.

A nasty feeling of incoming sickness gathered in my stomach, dangerously craving up my insides.

"You should not yell, Naruto-kun," I heard a woman's voice. "The dose of antidotes is in for taking it's toll on him and I don't think he feels too well."

"What a smart woman you have to be," I snapped at the girl, throwing her the nastiest glare I could muster and saving some for Naruto himself.

Suddenly the door burst open.

"Ninjin!"

"Konan-sama!" the woman dropped the towel and ran to Konan, somewhat in panic. "You shouldn't be walking alone anymore, you know that!"

By the corner of my eye I saw Naruto's jaw dropping almost to the floor, his eyes on the woman, leaning heavily on the wall, with one hand on her belly.

"Ninjin…" Konan panted out. "My waters broke…"

-:-

**A/N:** The title of this chapter comes from Jack Brel's song. The music and original lyrics are a masterpiece, but since, I guess, not many of you know French ,you can understand only the English version, which is totally different, and, in my opinion, somewhat worse.

(http)pl.youtube(dot)com(slash)watch?v(equation mark)RtSmbnQylgo, (stupid FF won't allow so many signs in the link xD) I really recommend you to listen to this polish version (she has really beautiful voice). I translated the lyrics into English once. So if some of you liked the song and wishes to know them send me a PM and I'll give them to you :)

And review please. It really makes me want to write more and sooner :)


	33. I Wanna Have Your Babies

**A/N:** Hello! I'm glad no one decided to tear me apart for SasuKonan. Yeah, I didn't really warn you about the side-of-main pairings. There are, there may happen, but SasuNaru was, is and will be in the end (and to the end) the main one. It won't change in this fic. Over my dead body, if I may say so. But believe me, even those other pairing(s) are here to help me develop things between Naruto and Sasuke (mmm, jealousy? Who knows).

Although, now that I'm nearing the lighter (though more romance developing, I guess) part of the fiction, I think I'll begin to play a little (nothing too absorbing, don't worry) with side-pairings. I know you might have expected KakaIru and I'm sorry to all the fans of this pairing (many, most, all? I've seen it almost in every SasuNaru/NaruSasu so far, so I know how popular it is), but here it's not going to happen. Neither will the whole world turn all gay suddenly, so expect heterosexual pairings as well ;)

Title of the chapter comes from cheery (Omg cheery! What's happening to this fic!) song by Natasha Beddingfield.

Thanks to** JadeOokami **for beta'ing!

And to **bubble** - owszem :D A piosenka śliczna.

**-Chapter Thirty Three-**

_-__I Wanna Have Your Babies–_

**Sasuke's POV**

Grateful that my mind managed to somehow proceed Konan's words and decipher them, allowing me to understand the basics of situation around, I forced myself off the bed, grabbing a hold of some wooden piece of furniture.

"Sasuke-sama, can she lay here?" I heard the voice of the woman called Ninjin. She was holding Konan, who seemed to have as much difficulties to stand as I did myself.

"Yes," I said as loud as I could without provoking my insides to rebel against me (which was going to happen sooner or later, I felt). What the hell was wrong with me anyway?

I looked at Naruto who was glancing, bewildered, from me to Konan to Ninjin and back to me, as if not getting anything at all. Idiot.

I breathed deeply to push the nausea away while Ninjin placed all the pillows around Konan to make her as comfortable as possible. But she ignored her nurse, her eyes stuck on mine, and I saw in them a mix of fear and uncertainty.

"It's yours, Sasuke," she said, almost inaudibly. To see a woman, deemed one of the most dangerous criminals actually afraid to admit something was a rare sight I never thought I'd see.

"I know."

I didn't understand many things, but I knew it was mine.

My child.

I felt Ninjin's hand on my shoulder. "Sasuke-sama, you're not well yet, you shouldn't be walking either."

"I'm fine," I lied, but this time, even my I-don't-care, practiced attitude couldn't help me. In the small mirror on the wall I could see myself and I looked as if someone dug me fresh out of a grave.

Which they kind of did anyway.

She tugged on my sleeve and guided me towards the bathroom. I really was feeling terrible enough not to oppose.

"I'll be right back, Konan-sama," she said before ushering me inside.

She seated me on the stool under the wall, and in a moment, a cup of mint-smelly water was pushed into my hands.

"You were given antidotes to the poison affecting you," she told me. "Way too many, but obviously some worked," she wrinkled her nose. Aye, medic instinct's outrage at those idiot's actions. "That's why you feel like you feel, but it will pass."

"Hn," when I raised a cup to my lips I felt a pain shooting through my right arm. "Shit."

It was bandaged, I hadn't noticed it earlier.

"This is nothing serious," Ninjin said. "Only injection wounds."

Che. Who was doing those, I wonder. Before I could drink the medicine though, I felt my body give up and I only managed to suddenly reach the washbasin before I got rid of some part of those antidotes.

Ninjin was there immediately to help me get my bearings. I could not even begin to comprehend why Sakura would wish to choose such an ungrateful profession.

"Feeling better?"

"Like shit," I muttered, and drank that minty thing in hopes of actually feeling better at some point.

I couldn't be sick like this for heavens' sake.

I sat for a moment more on the brink of the bathtub, leaning on the wall and taking some deep breathes and felt like it was I who was about to start giving birth.

"You may go," I told the girl and she nodded, leaving to take care of Konan.

Slowly, I began to get my grip back. Along with that, my thoughts were slowly sorting out, memory refreshing and among all the most recent memories I remembered my decision to commit suicide, the vision that came after and the feeling of being pulled back to life. I had no doubts it was Naruto, who, in contradiction to the one I saw in my dream-like vision, reacted differently and somehow again decided to bring me back.

Why the hell couldn't that moron just leave me alone for once? I always deemed myself stubborn and I was always saying that Uchiha gets what he wants. Yet this time we wanted the opposite things, and I lost, he won. But what kind of win is this? The one to lead to his own death? I hid my hands in my face, it was all too much. Right now, I couldn't just stick my face into the water and drown myself. Therefore, I had to face what lied ahead.

But how, damn it? I was about to become a father. This was a little beyond my current level of comprehension.

"Sasuke."

I raised my head and saw Konan in the bathroom door.

"You shouldn't be walking," I said, standing up.

"I'm alright… for the moment."

But she wasn't. I saw her hand, by which she grabbed the towel hook, shaking, as she tried to stand still. I went over to her and put her arm around my neck to support her.

"I don't think so." I guided her back to the room and helped to lie on the bed. "Where are Naruto and the nurse?"

"I asked them to leave. I need to talk with you."

I sat on the brink of the bed fixing the pillow under her head earning a weak glare.

"You don't have to act like this, Sasuke."

"Act like what?"

"Nice," she said simply. "I know your brother, and you're quite the same. Far from nice."

She took a pillow I was reaching for and placed it herself.

"Funny as it is, it comes quite naturally right now," I said the truth. Yes, I guess I couldn't really be described as a nice person, but since my world decided to stand on it's head, I wasn't too surprised by that gesture.

"Why haven't you screamed already? Or at least say something about… it."

"Scream?" I asked surprised. "Should I?"

"Don't ask me," she chuckled, but there wasn't much joy in that. "It is you who can feel… cheated. Back then, neither you nor I were fully… in the right mind, and we both know that. You had every right to expect nothing but an exchange of information, Samehade and this," she took my hand and I realized that Kisame's ring, which I gave to Itachi before leaving to Oto, was back on my finger. "It's both of our faults, since we did nothing to prevent it, but it's mine only that I decided to keep the child."

"Why have you done it?" I asked, without reproach. Even though I had more wine than I should have that night, I made sure to be aware enough to know what I'm doing, more or less. I needed the information on Akatsuki's move, because it wasn't likely I could find Kisame alone, in such convenient circumstances and on my terms without the help from the inside. She had more wine than she should as well, otherwise she would have never become that help. It was a dangerous game, but in the end we both got what we wanted.

And it seems now, she got even more.

"It's… unreasonable. For men."

I raised one eyebrow at her words. "And why is that?"

She put the hand she was holding on her belly. "Because you don't have maternal instinct. You don't wake one day, wishing, craving to have a child. To give life to a little human."

Suddenly, I felt a move under my palm that made me gasp before I controlled myself. She smiled at me.

"When you have a normal life, that's just the way the things go. If you're a ninja… that can be a problem. It's a huge change in life, you have to leave your life for a time and then, you have to take into mind that one day, you may die. You know well that orphans in the village can survive, even having no one."

'Like Naruto,' I thought. No one.

"But being a… member of the organization that Akatsuki is, there's no choice given to a woman if she wants a child or not. I know that if that hadn't happened between us, Sasuke, I would have never decided to have a child. The decision is too great and has too many 'NO' to do it. That's why…" she paused for a while, watching my hand on her belly. "That's why, when I discovered I was pregnant with your child, I wished to keep the babe. Believe it or not, Itachi was the first to understand why. I think living in a normal family and having a younger sibling rubbed off on him. He saw your mother when she had you and he knows how damn important it can be to a woman."

"I think… I quite understand what you mean," I said, and when her lips curved into a wider smile, I knew she was relieved.

The baby moved again.

"It's getting anxious," she said.

"How long can it take now?"

"Before the labour pains begin, it may take even a few hours. After that, even more. I don't really want to think about it."

I smirked, but hid it immediately, not wanting to risk getting her anger-hormones into the action.

"I want to ask you one more thing," I said.

"We have all the time in the world. I don't think I'll let you out of this room before it's over."

"Wouldn't dare to leave," I answered truthfully. "But tell me, why were you afraid to tell me it's mine? I saw it in your eyes, you hesitated."

She sighed. "No real reason. Just that you're unpredictable."

"You thought I may try to kill it."

She closed her eyes and I knew I voiced her thoughts.

"I wouldn't. I won't."

The vision from the future alternative flashed through my mind but I refused to keep it. It won't happen, if killing myself wasn't an option I'll find another one.

Her hand suddenly tightened on mine.

"Shit," she winced. "It begins…"

"Should I call that girl?" I asked, feeling my heart suddenly speed up, despite my efforts to remain calm and seemingly unaffected. Yes, old habits die hard.

"No, idiot," she said. "I'm not giving birth yet."

I threw her a weak glare for that idiot.

"Was it dangerous for you?" I asked as the grip on my hand relented, but I left it in hers since she obviously wished to keep it.

"What?"

"Everything. Pregnancy, birthing."

She snorted. "It was more hellish than dangerous, if you ask me. I guess I did take some risk, but the reason I kept the babe was enough to disregard it. But that sure was harsh, not only on me, but on the rest here as well, I guess. Even though my bloodline has nothing to do with eye techniques, mixing it with Sharingan couldn't go unnoticed, I guess," she winced again as a minor spasm took her. "Sasuke…"

"Hn?"

"Will you accept this child? Can it be called an Uchiha and know it has a father?"

"That's my child, Konan. I will not ever say otherwise."

"It can't stay in here, you know that, right?"

I nodded. "I'll take her back to Konoha when you're ready to give it to me."

"As soon as possible," she said lowering her gaze.

"Why? Don't you have to feed it?"

"If I do, Sasuke, I will never be able to give it away. It's hard already. It's been here for nine months and I already feel that my heart's going to break. Holding it in my arms, feeding it, spending time with it… It will make it worse on me. Knowing I'll never see it again…"

I frowned. "Why wouldn't you?"

"Don't make me laugh. As long as you don't become fulltime member and decide to stay here along with the little one, and we both know that won't happen, there's no possibility or reason for me to see her."

"If being her mother is not enough, I don't know what is," I said. "If it makes me a traitor, so be it, it's not like I'm loyal to Konoha. But I promise you, that if you wish to see it, I'll come wherever you wish, every month or so, and bring it to you."

"You're serious, aren't you?" this time the smile really reached her eyes.

Amazing, no matter who you are, when the hormones strike you and your instincts activate, you can make 180 degree turn. Looking at her now, seeing her smile upon knowing she'll be able to see her unborn child, I would never think she's one of the most wanted criminals known to me.

Looking at myself, awaiting anxiously for the baby to move, with my heart threatening to go wild at every sign of incoming birth, I would never think I was just saved from suicide death, because I spent the last seven months hurting my best friend.

Men don't have maternal instinct? Should I deem myself a defected man as well? Because I surely felt something I could hardly call otherwise.

"Do you know the gender?" I asked her.

"Yes, Itachi told me. What would you want?"

"I know it's a girl," I said. "I didn't think much about children, my mind was fixed on killing Itachi, but if I did, I always wished to have a daughter. To prove and show the world that there can be a girl who won't be annoying the hell out of me."

She laughed lightly. "How do you know, did Itachi tell you?"

"No. I saw her in Naruto's jutsu."

"Saw her?"

"She was six."

Her eyes widened. "How did she look?"

I smirked and felt tempted to refuse to answer her, but thinking about what she was about to go through in the nearest future, I decided not to.

"Funny as it is, she had blue eyes. And I guess her hair will also be blue, I see no other reason they would have to be dyed if not to hide from Konoha who was her mother."

She nodded. "They're quite unique, I guess."

"Beautiful."

She smiled. One thing was undeniable, Konan really was beautiful woman. I think that was a real nice addition to the wine influence, and believing the fangirls' words and the way she was looking at me while I sat here, I can say it probably worked both sides.

"Do you need anything?"

"I'm quite fine. You on the other hand, look like ghost."

"Guess so," I said, feeling that my stomach is demanding meeting with the washbasin again. I was going to kill someone when I felt better.

"I had it for three months in the morning, Uchiha. Don't you dare complain. Even mentally."

"Tch, I'll be back soon. I have to find your midwife to give me more medicine."

"Bring me some chocolate on the way, will you?"

"Hn," I nodded and left the room, finding myself in a maze that kind of overgrew my, still numb, mind.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

I was sitting in the kitchen having kittens. Not even chewing on the most delicious berry cookie ever was helping me. On the counter sat Deidara, deep into the lecture of Icha Icha Paradise. At first I thought I was wrong, but a peek on the pages when he left for a moment made my doubts go away.

For hell's sake! How could a criminal read porn?!

The longer I spent in this place, the more confused I became. Watching Itachi slice not human, but a fruit, was weird, but Deidara made me practically gape at him.

But I was grateful my thoughts were all around Sasuke's daughter, for once letting me forget about the nightmare I've been through.

But the worst part was, I really, really, really wanted to see that baby being born so bad, and they just ushered me out of the room, telling me to wait outside!

It's been like five hours already.

And I was beginning to think of cutting my arms off, getting rid of the seals and becoming a ghost again, free to peek into the room as much as I wanted.

Just not being sure what effect such… drastic riddance could have on me or Sasuke made me rethink that plan.

I stood up and ran to the window. It was wholly covered with clay dust, but I've already made a hole to look out and try to measure time.

"Six hours, Naruto. Relax, un."

I glared at Deidara. Sure, he could relax, he had something to occupy himself with while I could either watch him, the sun, or the door to Itachi's room.

Suddenly, Ninjin ran into the kitchen and grabbed clean towels from the drawers.

"Oi! What's going on?!"

"It's begun," she said and ran away.

And I jumped right behind her.

The moment the door appeared I my sight I heard Konan's scream and a loud curse.

Okay.

Loud string of curses.

"GET. THE. FUCK. OUT. OF. HERE."

"Relax, Konan, it's my room and I need those scrolls," it was Itachi's voice.

The moment I got to look into the room through the door I saw him dodging some crumpled paper and in her arm another piece, wielded by her, looking sharper than a blade.

"Fuck your scrolls Itachi!" she yelled digging her fingernails into Sasuke's hand, but he only winced, looking as if he wouldn't dare to even hiss. She threw the twisted airplane of sorts and blood was spilled. "OUT."

Then came another scream as she winced in pain.

"Looks like quite a pandemonium to me, yeah," I heard Deidara's voice and instinctively jumped away from him, feeling shivers run down my whole body.

"U-uh, I-I guess so," I said and berated myself for stuttering.

As Itachi left the room glaring coldly at his wounded thigh, Ninjin was about to close the door, but I stopped her suddenly without thinking.

"Please! I want to see the baby borning!"

"I think there's no such word, yeah."

I glared at Deidara, who also was trying to peek curiously inside, and turned back to the girl holding the door with confusion on her face.

"I want to see baby coming out then, please!" I looked at Konan, angry fires in her eyes, which I was sure will be directed at Sasuke or Ninjin as soon as every other target was out of the way, but I didn't care. I just wanted to see the girl being born. Blame the stupid vision for it, but even if it was just a short image I did feel kinda like a… father to her. Even if I couldn't admit it aloud.

"Naruto," I heard Itachi's voice and turned around "Give this to Sasuke. You're the only immortal in here and that may come in handy," he threw me the scroll. He probably knew somehow what I've been through, but it amazed me that he actually cared enough not to come close to me.

I barely caught the scroll, my hands shaking from excitement. Sasuke took both of Konan's hands as I walked into the room holding it before as some freaking peace sign. He took it from me and read it for a second.

"Look at me," he told Konan and she did. Sharingan swirled into his eyes and I suddenly she breathed with relief. "It won't help too much, you have to be conscious to avoid complications, but it should at least ease a pain a bit," he explained to her.

When another labour pain came she screamed no quieter than before. "THEN DO SOMETHING TO HELP ME MORE!"

"Breath, Konan-sama, breathe!" Ninjin screamed.

"I can't, I'm sorry," Sasuke said, and I saw he really was excited about it.

But I could hardly restrain myself from jumping around. Literally jumping around. Like a rabbit in heat.

'Breathe, Naruto, breathe!' I thought to myself.

"Please, please, please can I stay? I'm dead, what do you have to lose!" I suddenly yelled surprising even myself with the power of my arguments.

"No, you two get out before I treat you like Hidan!"

"But you let Sasuke-teme stay!"

Sasuke sweat-dropped. "Now try and guess why," he snarled at me.

"I don't know but, but please!"

"Idiot."

Konan looked at me and suddenly laughed. Before another spasm hit her. Ninjin tugged at my shoulder in order of getting me out of there, but Konan waved at her.

"Let him stay, he's a cute kid."

"Cute kid? I am Sasuke's age!"

"Then get out!"

"Fine, I'm a kid, dattebayo!" I said and backed away from the bed, earning a satisfied look from her.

Then it was only worse. Ninjin was trying to calm her like crazy, but Konan only screamed louder as the pains got more frequent.

"To the back wall, Naruto," I heard Sasuke's voice and my legs moved without asking my brain. Damn bastard used his command ability, so I couldn't see everything from the better point.

Well I guess that was fair to Konan.

Ninjin threw the towels around her and began preparing her for the final.

Suddenly I heard the famous words "PUSH!" and even bigger madness unfolded. I cringed under the power of screams of pain and curses even that gray haired freak of a vampire wouldn't be ashamed of. Sasuke soon jointed the litany and only Ninjin's announcement of "I see the head!" broke their show of the most colourful language.

"Head!" I shrieked, but the moment I wished to run forward and see head the sharp command of "STAY!" held me in place.

I'm not a damn dog! I wanted to yell that to him, but I decided against that, after seeing his expression.

"It's coming out, just a few more, Konan-sama! Push! Push!"

"Breathe, Konan, breathe!"

"I FUCKING KNOW WHAT TO DO, YOU IDIOTS! I've been at it for hours now! And you, Uchiha, shut up! I'd love to see YOU in MY place!"

I snorted at the vision involuntarily. Lucky me, another scream roared me down.

"It's almost out! It's almost here! One more! One more!" Ninjin shook her hair, wet with sweat, away, and when Konan pushed once more, she smiled broadly. "It's a girl!"

"We know!" I yelled and ran up to her to see the baby. She began to wipe it clean with another towel, as it began to cry.

"It's so… adorable, dattebayo!" I looked at it swinging all the limbs around.

Ninjin motioned for Sasuke, and as he came, she gave him the scissors to cut the umbilical cord. Looking at the shape he was in, I prayed that was the only thing he cut, but somehow he managed, his eyes stuck on the child as if hypnotized.

Ninjin covered it with a blanket and gave to him. He just held it still, as if paralyze struck him.

"Sway it, bastard," I said quietly.

He looked at me and held the baby in my direction, in his eyes pure fear. I blinked. Gods, was he afraid to hurt it by swaying? But I didn't waste my occasion and gently took the little bundle in my arms. The girl opened her eyes, took a deep breath and resumed in her task of making us all deaf. She was so small, I had no idea that the newborn babies are that small!

"Show me," I heard Konan plead and I walked over to her, giving up the baby.

She smiled, and with definitely more feeling that Sasuke, began to shush it down. He walked over and crawled on the bed on her side, touching the head so gingerly, as if it was more delicate than the thinnest of porcelains.

I felt quite out of place, but when I wanted to walk away, he raised his eyes at me and said simply: "Stay, Naruto."

I came a little bit closer and sat on the bed. Only then did he lower his eyes back to his daughter.

"What do you want to name her, Sasuke?" Konan asked.

"Don't you have a name picked?"

"No. I didn't want to get attached more."

He nodded. "I wish to name her after one… being, that probably lost it's life in the whole chaos of the last year, yet I still owe it a lot," he looked at me.

He's gotta be kidding.

"You really are twisted, Uchiha," Konan laughed.

"Do you mind?"

He's gotta be kidding.

"Not at all."

He smiled, yes smiled, and let the girl grab his pinky finger.

"Welcome to the world, little Kyuu-chan."

HE HAD TO FUCKING BE KIDDING ME!

-:-

**A/N:**Omg the baby! And to think I dislike children and never wanted to give one in this fiction. Oh well, I guess I got cheated by my own brain. Again xD But it's not going to turn into a baby-fiction, no way. It drools too much, yeah.

Tell me if my OC's are annoying you. I try not to put in too many (although I can reduce "text-time" of them, in case I planned some else I'd need), but I needed a nurse and capturing Sakura or something as ridiculous as this would do more wrong to the plot, at least in my eyes. Ninjin means carrot by the way. Woo for English-Japanese on-line dictionaries and n00bs (me) who don't know a shit about that language and therefore can't produce a normal name without idiotic meaning. Review, please!


	34. Bonds That Shouldn't Be

**A/N: **I'm having writer's block. And a cold. But I don't want to leave this story unfinished so I have to write it before I lose my interest in it. I hate when people do that, so I'll do my best not to. Thank you all for the reviews and to those who review all the chapters even if they read few in a row. I appreciate it, I do :)

**WARNINGS: **For those who like to look into details and may catch some non-literal (named) things – another subject has arisen that may be controversial to many. Although those of you I should have warned a few chapters ago. Oh well. But here it can be obvious enough to actually need a warning.

**-Chapter Thirty Four-**

_-Bonds That Shouldn't Be–_

**Sasuke's POV**

I woke up somewhere in the middle of the night. Yesterday was so damn exhausting, I was too tired to sleep properly. I sat at the brink of the bed wondering if I still had to visit the bathroom to relieve my stomach, but it seemed to be finally calmed down, even though I wasn't feeling the best. But obviously I've cleaned my system enough to be slowly getting well. I rubbed my eyes. It was still so weird to see everything so well in the dark. I closed the eye modified by Kabuto and Orochimaru and enjoyed the darkness surrounding me. I missed it.

I wasn't feeling like going back to bed, even though behind the window there wasn't even a glow of the incoming day. From under the door to Itachi's little workroom I saw dim light. I opened the door, glanced in and closed them. I rubbed the rest of the sleep off my eyes and then opened the door again. No change. Was I still sleeping or what? But I surely still felt reality. I closed them again, thinking three times lucky. But the more I opened the door again, the more Itachi was painting his nails. (1) 'Now if that's not an insanity symptom, I don't know what is.'

"What in the world are you doing?"

He raised his eyes at me. "Insomnia."

"That looks rather like some other mental disease. For gods' sake, you people are sick," I muttered, sitting on the pouf and laying my arms on the desk with my head on top of them.

He reached his hand and took my finger with a ring on it. "Don't you even dare thinking of doing it to _my_ nails," I snarled.

He smirked. "Soon, when this mess is done and you're back in Konoha, we'll be going for eight tailed demon. Part of your deal, Sasuke, is that you'll have to come for the extraction."

"I know," I nodded. "How's mine?"

"Well enough. When do you wish to take her?"

I shrugged. "Hard to tell now."

"You're not thinking about trying to kill yourself again, are you?" His fingers found the necklace he gave me and tugged on it lightly, for some reason that sent a little shiver down my spine. "I'll know. And I'll make him know. He may be incredibly patient towards you, but not stupid enough to, once burned, make the same mistake again. And I'll be there to help him close you in a room with wool walls," his eyes glimmered dangerously even though the words almost made me want to laugh. Almost. They probably would if he wasn't serious.

"I'm not," I said, glaring at him.

"Good boy."

I grabbed a book and threw it at him, guided by some weird, childlike instinct. "Call me that one more time and I'll throw something sharper. I'm no more eight year old you could call a good boy."

"Pity. You were a cute child. You want to go see Kyuu, don't you? You're fidgeting around like mad."

Well, I guess I could expect genius to know that simple fact. "Yeah. I can't sleep, I'm waking up every five minutes or so," I admitted. I was sleepy, but the sleep refused to come, and stay, long enough.

"They may be asleep. She's safe with Konan and I don't think you'd want to wake them."

"I know. That's why I'm here, not there."

I watched him finish his nails and, with heavy sigh, begin to scribble something on the scroll in front of him.

"Maybe you're not insomniac, just overworked?" I suggested as he yawned, covering his mouth.

"I wouldn't be overworked if I could sleep. I have nothing else to do at night, Deidara's offers not taken into account."

Even after spending a month with him after all those years, after the massacre, I still found it weird and mesmerizing in a way, how different he was when out of battlefield, faced in normal life. How different they all were. I saw Naruto talking to Deidara, and he had troubles with getting a grip on it too. Suddenly the powerful criminal, wishing only to kill you and throwing some crazy jutsus around, becomes just a human who needs to eat, entertain himself and even talk about the things less meaningful than the evening's supper. I guess being the badass-never-smile-never-breathe-never-eat kind of cyborg was too much for any human being, and, maybe sans this plant-dude, they all were humans, more or less.

"You were sleeping well at Eda's," I noticed.

"It was… different. There's a reason I called that place a paradise and took you there for training."

That was truth, undeniable. I shrugged off the memories of that period. I didn't want to summon them now. Or better ever.

"I must ask you something," I said.

He looked at me hearing I'm being serious. "Ask then."

"Is there anyone who would wish to hurt Kyuu?"

Itachi titled his head to the side putting the pen and scroll away.

"This," I pointed at his necklace on my neck. "Tell me first, how can I take it off?"

"You can't. Maybe I could if I tried and you cared enough to trouble myself," some kind of emotion appeared in eyes for a second I could not catch and name fast enough. "Do you want to get rid of it?"

"No," I said and again something flickered in his eyes. I noticed he kept his blind one red all the time, to avoid having them mismatched. "I don't want to take it off." I didn't want to point him towards the answer. "But… the thing you did to make it irremovable, how can it be, you know, dispelled?"

"If I remove it. Or if I die. Or if you or someone else cut your head off. I don't think there's any other," he said, entirely serious, making me blink at the vision of my head cut off rolling off into the horizon. Lovely. My sleep-deprived mind was beginning to act… weirdly.

But the thing that bothered me was I didn't know it, and yet the jutsu had shown precisely this. So it was indeed working.

"Sasuke, what do you need to know? Ask me," he felt it was serious.

"It's about that jutsu Naruto cast upon me. The things I saw. There was some kind of fight, against who, I cannot tell, that's what you may know. If I understood it right, the fight was about Kyuu, someone wanted to hurt her and you asked Naruto for help. Konan died, she faced him or her alone before you two got there. I know you'd have to have him borrow your chakra, I guess you weren't at your full power then, but even in that case, there's not many people that can beat you," unfortunately I've learnt it firsthand. "In the… kind of jutsu hiccup, when I was… dying, I saw the events unfold once again, yet they were quite similar to the ones before, just included myself dead. But that fight happened again, and this time you died as well. Deidara said it could happen because… you loved me too much. You know who you did fight, don't you?" I asked him, seeing the anxiety in his eyes.

"Where were you the first time?"

"Away. I came to kill you later," I said touching the necklace. "It fell then. I'm afraid those visions may have much common with future."

"Take Kyuubi to Konoha, tomorrow, Sasuke."

"Who is it you fought?"

"None of your business. I'll deal with it alone."

"You will deal with it, meaning you will fight him or her?"

"If that's what it comes to, yes."

"Who is it," I repeated myself. If he couldn't kill that person despite Naruto's help, I could only imagine how powerful that one had to be.

"Old… partner of mine. Work partner," he added to leave no misunderstanding. "Just that, recently, our goals seem to divide in different directions."

"The third Uchiha remaining, isn't he? Madara."

"Jutsu again?"

I nodded. "It makes it just as much my business as it is yours. I demand you tell me if you'll decide to fight him. I demand you let me be there."

"You can't demand anything of me."

"Yes I can. And you know this."

"Go to bed, Sasuke. You are leaving for Konoha tomorrow."

I glared at him and got off the pouf, heading for the bedroom.

I had to be there that time. I had to do everything in spite of those terrible visions.

Maybe there still was a hope.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

Laying on the bed, wide awake, I was thinking again. Many thoughts were passing through my head recently, and they rarely resembled the ones I was used to for years. The last time I thought of ramen? I couldn't remember. All I could think about the majority of the time was Sasuke. When he was taken by Orochimaru, when he ran away, when he was trying to kill himself. I was so close to losing him once and for all, because he had no demon to save him from death.

One viper, one moment, one wrong decision and he could die. And I would let him, because there was nothing much I could do. Now, I owed Akatsuki everything. They were the reason he lived through. Not a moment passed before I forgave them for taking my own life. It meant nothing to me compared to the one of my best friend. I promised myself to never ever let him be alone anymore or go somewhere without being sure he's safe. I'll be a pest, I'll be the source of all the annoyance in the world, but hell, I will not let him die. No way.

I turned to the side and gazed at the ebony floor with a blank stare. And now he is a father. However illogical that sounds to me, he is. And he named his daughter Kyuubi. Which is beyond my comprehension, even after he made his point with asking something like 'Do you think that if I was named Kyuubi I would have one fangirl less? In such case, I'd gladly rename myself.' True. But still, Konoha's favourite heir of the deceased, most prominent clan having the name of a demon who once decided to destroy the village.

Perfect.

But looking at that little baby I knew, that if there was a worse name to be given to her and she got it, that wouldn't change a thing.

Slowly I felt sleep reaching it's hands for me, and no matter how much I wished to stay awake, I knew that this night, I won't be able to. Sooner or later I would have to face my nightmares of the past seven months.

-:-

"_This is the last time…" I whispered. I remembered, hazily, those words whispered times before. "Always the last…"_

"_Never the last," said he, kissing me harshly and biting near my collarbone. We were never gentle, never caring, yet I knew how much it means, how much we craved it every time, every one night. Wishing for the past to be erased, wishing to get back the time we lost forever._

_I knew I was dreaming again, but I couldn't escape this dream. Long black hair tickled my face as he arose to look into my eyes. Those red eyes that used to scare me to death, to make me wish him dead, now… were different. They were always different in those dreams and I could never fully tell if the mix of emotions going through me was coming from reality or that state._

_I pulled at his hair and whispered into his ear. "It's better to promise the end again and again… than to admit this should be happening once."_

_His skilled fingers played with my hair, going down to my neck and making me tremble under his touch._

_Why was I dreaming about him doing those things to me? Why couldn't he just be killing me again? I could not understand, but I didn't feel the fear, those weren't my memories of torment I've been through and in this dream they seemed so distant, so… meaningless. Like they didn't matter anymore, like they were just the past that should be forgotten. That I so wished to forget._

"_You shouldn't taste what you can't refuse later…" he said, his eyes half-lidded, watching me… wanting me._

_Why would he want ME? The half-aware thought appeared in my mind but was blown away as more words left my lips._

"_And you…" I said. "And you should strengthen your will… Not to give into temptations, you should never… ah!" I screamed from pleasure before I could I shut myself up. He smirked at me, this time it was him who was having the power but sometimes… it was me. And I knew how it feels, I understood those sparks in his eyes._

"_You… are none the better…"_

"_Never said I am…"_

"_Come back…"_

"_Hold safe what he holds dear… For me…"_

"_Come back…"_

"_No…"_

"_You'll come back…"_

"_This is… the last… time… Itachi."_

"NARUTO for gods' sake! Open the damn door!" an annoyed command pulled me out of the weird dream and I shot up on the bed, panting lightly. They were always WAY too real for my liking.

"W-who's there…" I only managed a silent question, fumbling with sheets, hands shaking from the remnants of a dream floating before my eyes.

The lock clicked and the door slowly opened. "Me, dobe," Sasuke's voice didn't sound annoyed anymore. "Can I come in?"

"Y-yes."

"What happened?" he asked coming in. He was wearing a long-sleeved indigo shirt with high crimson collar, black pants and shoes. Somehow this outfit made him look older, and a little intimidating. I noticed the trail of blood on his lip, which he licked as soon as he noticed my eyes lingering there.

"N-nothing, just a dream," I answered and berated myself for stuttering like an idiot. But I could hardly help it… I just dreamt of… of… Itachi, in THAT way. Again.

He looked at me for a moment in silence, as if he tried to pry the dream from my head, but his Sharingan was turned off, he wouldn't invade my mind. I know he's better than that.

"Nightmare?" he asked instead.

"Kind of…" I lowered my eyes, feeling unsecure and ashamed of myself.

"We're going back to Konoha, it's dawn already, and I wish to reach it in three days at most. We're taking Kyuu along so it will probably take longer than in other case."

"I cannot run with chakra's help anymore, Sasuke."

"You can take mine," he said and I threw him uncertain look. He frowned. "I can control myself fine by now, nothing will happen. You've got my word and now move. I'll be meeting you at the entrance in ten minutes with Kyuu. I doubt there's anything you'd need to do before we leave, is there?"

"No," I replied. I wished to get out of this place as soon as possible, and when the information of Sasuke's comeback begin to slowly get through my sleep-hazed brain, I felt a tinge of hope. "Sasuke?"

"What?" he turned around, his hand already on the doorknob.

"Will you stay in Konoha? I mean, really stay?"

"Maybe."

And he walked off. I made my way to the bathroom and refreshed myself before the road. So many things happened in the past times, I couldn't really say anymore what I wanted, what I needed. And at times like this, when even my consciousness had partially abandoned me, I felt completely confused. Like a child lost in some kind of forest or city with no one familiar in sight, who it could cling to and depend on. Feel safe. There were people I could depend on and I tried to tell myself again and again that I am not alone, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't believe it on the deepest level. I still had this feeling of being left behind, of having to do the most important things all by myself. Of having to bear the hardest of burdens all by myself. I couldn't even think of telling them about everything that happened, of letting them know by showing the weaknesses it gave me.

There was only one person that knew everything, and that one person… I couldn't talk to anymore like that, I couldn't treat like I wished I could. The one I needed the most was the one I feared the most.

When I came to the place we were to meet in, I saw Sasuke sitting on the threshold, holding a sleeping Kyuu in his arms, covered with a gray blanket.

"I'm ready," I said, repeating to myself that all the worst have passed, that now, my goal was about to come true.

He stood up and turned to look at me, then he backed away, letting me pass without forcing me to come close to him. In his eyes I could see clearly the guilt, and I wanted to tell him none of it is his fault. And I couldn't. I did not know how to speak to him now, how to begin the sentence. Should I mock him like always? That sounded ridiculous now. Should I be serious like Sakura would be? That was a bit better, but still, how could I just start a serious talk with him? With which words?

I did not know, so I chose to remain silent.

But not only guilt was in his black eyes, the other emotion was blame. He blamed me for bringing him back, but he wouldn't say a word either. The guilt forbade him, for he surely blamed himself more than he blamed me.

And so he chose to remain silent.

When he motioned to me to borrow his chakra I wavered only for a second, before faced with his commanding glare. I did as he told me and indeed, he controlled himself, if he even felt anything different. He fixed Kyuu's position to ensure she's safe and jumped on the trees, on the way home.

As I watched him from the back, moving so swiftly and gracefully on the branches I began to wonder…

Sasuke is coming back to Konoha, but is it really only his comeback I really wish for?

-:-

**A/N:** (1) Winnie the Pooh inspired this one. Honestly people, I can't imagine criminals like them, 8/9 being MALES, paint their nails. Screw Itachi, just imagine Kisame going at it :D

I'm sorry for the shorter chapter, I guess I spoiled you with the last long ones, but as I said, I'm suffering from author's block, cold and lack of inspiration (I think I've seen all the best, long SasuNaru around here I could find. Not AU, or at least as non-AU as it gets. High-school, rock-bands, and some crazy family-enhancements are off limits for me.) But I put it here as it is now, because I've also spoiled you with frequent updates and don't want to leave you hanging for another week or so. I hope I'll keep my interest long enough to finish this story and have fun while doing it though :) And I'll try to focus a little bit more on the baby of course, when the circumstances will be more fitting. Review, please.


	35. The Game and the Blame

**A/N: **Oh how I love confusing people. And I love when you tell me in reviews what you predict or saw in the chapter cause then I know I succeeded. Thanks for those, it's the most interesting part :)

And yes, I said I'm losing the thing for the story because I do for Naruto at this moment, but I am not going to leave the story unfinished nor will I rush it to get it done. And as long as you people review it I have something to keep me doing it and have pleasure from it.

Uh-oh, Konoha chapters. And keep your eyes open, because the thing you could have been missing until now (at least definitely most of you), can still be missed, but if noticed it will make it easier for you to see through some of my plans. Play seek the hidden meanings, should you wish, I started giving the clues around ten chapters ago (or maybe even earlier, who knows), some here, some there. I know I like such stuff, if you don't – just enjoy the story as it goes with literal and obvious things :) I will do my best to make it understandable also this way.

**IMPORTANT NOTE: **Since from this chapter on, Sasuke and Naruto will rarely be separated, I have to do something with the POV thing. I don't want to describe every meaningful event twice from both of them, I'll try different solution. Instead of quite shattering **Sasuke's POV** and **Naruto's POV **tags, I'll be putting only one letter before the text (S and N). In later chapters it should be more visible why I'm trying to lessen the breaking scene changes, because the POVs will probably be changing a lot more often. Tell me if that works for you, I don't know if that's the good solution so I need you to tell me. I'm only trying to find something convenient.

**-Chapter Thirty Five-**

_- __The Game and the Blame -_

**N:**

I followed Sasuke the whole day in silence. We stopped only so he could feed Kyuu with some artificial milk Ninjin prepared for her. In Konoha, she would be taken care of, that was for sure, and she seemed to know that too, trusting to let her go just after birth. But we weren't far from Konoha. Even then, and probably before tomorrow's sunset we would reach the gates of my beloved home.

After the sky turned red and the sun hid behind the horizon, he motioned for me to stop, and landed in a small clearing with soft grass. He always had an eye for the most comfortable of places in his reach, damn bourgeois, spoiled by Uchiha's money. I couldn't help but envy him a little. All the things he possessed and had left even after all those years, since no one had enough guts to sell his complex and take his money. After all, could they admit that his clan was gone forever? That the power of the Sharingan faded away and all that's left are two rogue ninjas hunting each other, both of them more eager to destroy their hometown than to aid it?

Sasuke landed on bent knees, as gently as he could as to not to wake the sleeping Kyuu. She was unnaturally silent for a child. She cried only once and fell silent after he fed her. No fuss for no reason, Uchiha, blood and bones. From the very beginning.

"Is she okay?" I asked landing few metres behind him.

Sasuke turned to me and nodded, crouching down and laying his daughter on the grass gently. "Her vitals are fine, Ninjin said she's very healthy for such a child. But she needs special care for the first year, mixed bloodlines can be hard to take."

"Special care?" I asked, curious.

He stroked the little head and I saw the baby smile and drool all over the place. He smirked at it. "Keep an eye on her, I'll get the firewood for the night. Special care… she can't be left alone and needs to be watched for any signs of chakra abnormalities. Also, she has to be taken in for regular checkups to a medic since they may need to be calmed down before they can mess with her system. But she'll be fine."

The last words he said in such confident manner, I smiled as he jumped up in his search for dry sticks. I kneeled before Kyuu and gently picked her up, hoping Sasuke doesn't mind. He was acting differently the past two days No wonder, after everything that happened. I wish he would begin to speak to me, I hope that tonight, maybe we'll have a chance to sort things out. There was a tension and uncertainty between us, hard to deal with, yet I couldn't find courage in myself to begin the conversation. One look at him and I felt like curling up under a tree and waiting until he passes, in hopes he will just miss me on his way.

Ridiculous, I know. And even more so, because it was me, who clung to him so persistently, refusing to let go, to leave him alone. But the instincts were what they were. And there was nothing I could do about it.

Suddenly I smelled a very unpleasant stench. I coughed and looked around for it's source before it came to me that I was holding the source in question in my own arms. I looked down at the girl waving her hands at me.

"Oh shit."

"Quite literal, indeed," I heard Sasuke's voice as he came back and dropped the wood, raising one eyebrow in a weird expression. He took his travelling bag and pulled out some white sheets that I soon identified as diapers.

And he threw them at me.

"Oi, Sasuke, what?"

"Change it?"

"What?"

"Are you deaf, dobe?"

"My hearing is fine, but why should I change it?"

"Because I said so."

I raised my eyebrow incredulously at him. That sounded just like the old Sasuke, but after seeing how carefully he was addressing me and treating me, as if not to make me feel bad or unsecure, now all that façade of caring was blown away.

Was changing a diaper so bad that he would forget how he decided to act or how his attitude changed just to make me do it?

Well evidently so. And I was no better because I placed the, now stinking, bundle back on the ground and stood up as to not be on the lower level. He was higher than me as it was.

"Excuse me? Give me one good reason to. She's your baby."

He looked perplexed for just one second before he came back with the retort.

"But it was you who carried her the last."

My eyebrow twitched involuntarily. He had to be kidding!

"What kind of reason is that!"

"Good enough," he said coolly, but I had no doubts he realized how asinine was what he was saying. "Just do it."

"Don't you go commanding me now!"

"I'm not going to command you, idiot. If I were, you would be doing it right now… on the other hand…"

"Don't you dare…"

**S:**

I knew he was serious as he said those words. That was a boundary I was to never cross because I'd like to, I told myself. I could make him stand behind the wall when Konan was giving birth, but I couldn't make him do things he wished not to. I've learnt on many occasions that if you give into temptation once, you will give in another time. And even though I used to tell myself that being an Uchiha made me strong enough to resist, I saw perfectly clear that if anything, it makes me more vulnerable.

And that was a family treat this time. I could wrong myself by giving in, and I did, oh hell I did. But I couldn't do this to Naruto. So instead I just glared at him and hoped that my voice is enough for that idiot to change the damn diaper.

After all, Uchihas don't do such ungraceful stuff, do they now?

I crossed my hands on my chest and strengthened my glare.

"Dobe."

"Bastard. I'm not a nanny, dattebayo!"

"Well be. Or…"

"Or?"

Or. Or many things. I wished to blackmail him in some way but first thought that came to my mind – promising to leave again – seemed a little like overreacting. After all, it was just a diaper.

"Or I'll buy Ichiraku. And I'll take ramen out of their menu."

Yes. That should do it. And I indeed could afford such a thing without much problems. And seeing that the dobe winced and took the diaper into his hand looking at it as if it was about to bite his head off, I came to a conclusion that he knew it as well.

"That's playing dirty, Sasuke-teme!" He pointed at me accusingly and I just smirked.

"Maybe, but I'm doing it to keep my hands clean. Literally clean."

He threw some obscenities at me, but I couldn't care less as I ran back into the forest to gather more wood and some water to drink for us both. Funny, how similar it felt to those missions we used to go on together so long ago. But, just as I found myself alone in the forest, Naruto's voice out of my head, the charm of a moment, of that stupid fight, was gone. And reality began to sting me again. And I felt I couldn't take much more of it for long. I had to solve what could be solved, because sooner or later, even the genious mind would become overloaded.

When I came back I found Naruto feeding Kyuu and talking to her, completely unaware of my presence.

"You should be more alert, dobe. Did you feel my chakra?"

"I'm not a ninja anymore. Yes I felt your chakra, but if someone just as powerful neared me, the best I could do was to pretend I didn't."

"You could call me."

He looked at me with eyebrow raised. "Don't be stupid, Sasuke. If someone your level wished to come close to me, for whatever reason I'd be dead or… uh, done with whatever he wants to be done before I could think of saying your name."

"True. You're too slow." And dense.

"Sasuke!"

"Idiot," I muttered, sitting near the pile of wood and starting the fire. I immediately felt my eye rebel against the light and cursed that damn Snake for giving me the useless ability to see in the darkness. My Sharingan would suffice as far as I'm concerned.

And to think he also wished to make it purple at first.

We sat again in silence, unspoken questions in our heads, begging to be asked, trying to get out in any way possible. I let him keep Kyuu for the time being. He was better at taking care of her anyway. I just watched as he murmured some nonsense to her. Having someone so innocent near him made him even look differently, as if she was healing the scars left on him.

"Naruto."

He raised his eyes at me and his smile for Kyuu was gone in one second. "Yeah?"

"We need to talk."

"I guess we do…"

But where to start? Where should I start, because I knew he wouldn't.

"Do you know why I did it?"

He blinked at me. "Did what?"

"Moron. Why I wanted to die."

"Because you're a selfish bastard and wished to leave me alone with all that happened," he spat at me, but in his eyes I saw no anger just… sorrow. And hurt.

And damn, was he right.

"And because I don't think I'm strong enough to deal with it all."

"What did you say?"

"I said what I said and you heard it."

"You said you're weak."

"I'm not weak. I said that I'm not strong enough to live with the memories of it all," I said. "I cannot just forget that it was me who gave myself to Orochimaru, who allowed him to take my body, and then, because of that, he took you. I cannot just forget those seven months, those days and nights when he showed me, when he made me watch as he… as he…" for the first time in my life I couldn't force the words out of my throat, even though I had them in my mind, even though I knew what I wanted to say. Admitting it aloud, naming it, it was so wrong, so… out of place when I looked at Naruto.

"Don't you tell me it's not my fault, don't you tell me that you don't blame for it, because frankly enough? It doesn't matter if you do. I do. And that's what we'll have to live with. That's what will hunt me in my nightmares and hit me, should you choose to, but I'd gladly switch places with you there and then! Because, Naruto, it's just like dying for someone else. It's way, way easier to give yourself, and die, knowing that you're saving your precious one, than to live with the fucking knowledge of you being the case of your loved ones death. I'd give my life for you, yes. But I'd kill you the second time if you did something like that for me. And I'd rather have you hurt me thousands of times like that than hurt you once. So don't you go all 'I don't blame you, Sasuke, I forgive you, Sasuke' on me. Because I know you don't, I wouldn't too. But I blame myself. I hurt. I curse it all to hells and I blame YOU for not letting me choose, for not letting me end it and escape, for once!" I yelled the last sentence, not really caring if someone could hear us or not.

"Sasuke…"

"My entire life, Naruto," I cut him off. "My entire life I was taking things thrown at me and I just endured them, making myself stronger, giving myself goals. I've lost my family from the hand of my beloved brother, I betrayed my village, I fought countless battles inside myself and chose what was more important to me every time. And even though I was always ready to do every fucking thing to achieve the goals I put up for myself, there was always one thing, just one damn thing, I couldn't sacrifice. Guess what? YOU. I chose you over Mangekyou Sharingan, the power that would grant me chances of fulfilling my revenge. And guess what again, Naruto. It was YOU whom I gave up my revenge for. Always you, the only thing, the only fucking thing. And then what? And then what, I ask?!" I didn't know when I stood up, Sharingan flaring in my eyes as the words held inside for so long chose to leave me all at once. "And then it's you whom I hurt, whom I see hurt, and yes, I FEEL it's my fault and nothing will change it. Why couldn't you, for all of this, for all I was able to give up for you just… just once… give me something. Allow me to escape once, to decide once for myself, to do what I needed to do, what I wished to do… Why?"

**N:**

I watched him in silence, every word of his sinking deep into my mind. He stood over me, his eyes flamed with the fury and the anger and thet guilt he couldn't contain anymore, and the only thing I wanted to do was to console him, to beg him for forgiveness and hold him to me, but I knew I couldn't. Right then I understood, that it wasn't really him who was selfish.

It was me.

I kept him alive because I need him, because I WANT him to live, but I never really asked myself if I should let him go.

But… but how in heavens' mercy could I let him go when I love him so much and I can't even go with him?

"I'm… I'm sorry…" I whispered as the last of his words ringed through my skull. His tense body relaxed and his head fell low, black hair obscuring his face. Was he crying? No, Uchihas don't cry. "They say… they say that if you love someone… and I… and if you do… you would let him go and be happy… But… they say it about love, and I… I don't think it should mean the same now…"

I had no idea if my words made any sense to him, they barely made any to myself.

"Do you love me, Naruto?" he asked.

I looked at him wide-eyed, surprised by the question.

"I asked. Do you love me?"

"Yes."

"Then why, why didn't you let me die?"

"I would let you go, if you chose to go. I would let you leave if you were leaving to the place of happiness. I would do everything to make you happy, but you wouldn't die happy. You would die of sorrow, and I won't let you die of sorrow. Just like I won't let you leave because of grief, of guilt or hatred… I promise you, that if one day you'll leave for love… whatever love it will be, I'll let you go, and I'll never again be your shadow, chasing you, hunting you wherever you go. But until then… until then there's nothing you can do to make me give up. Nothing."

**S:**

So stubborn, so sure of himself, so persistent. He would never give up, he would never stop trying to make me happy, to make me come back to the road I should follow, he would never stop dragging me out of every darkness I fall in. He wasn't like a shadow, no, he was more like someone holding the only rope tied to me, always behind me, always ready to pull me up, whether I fell down or jumped in.

For that I hate him. Because of that I wished to kill him. This is why he scares me so.

"…"

I didn't know what to say anymore. There was nothing I could add, nothing I could answer to his words. It was beyond every logic of mine, he was guided by pure emotion and dedication, never caring for himself, never thinking about himself if someone else was in the view.

We just gazed into the fire in silence. Some burdens off our shoulders, some new on them. Because, after all, nothing became clearer. Nothing was really solved.

It was an hour, maybe two later that he spoke again.

"Ya know, Sasuke, we can't show Kyuu like this in Konoha."

I looked up at him surprised by the sudden subject arisen. "What?"

"I mean, you do know that Ero-Sannin knows Konan, don't you? And I bet every Jounin and ANBU in Konoha know the basic description of Akatsuki and, well, blue hair is not too common… They'll know. And I don't think that would be best."

"Of course it wouldn't, thanks for stating the obvious."

Like we hadn't seen it in visions before…

"Oi, don't be such a bastard again, dattebayo! I'm only saying that if we are to be in Konoha tomorrow or so, we should do something with it."

"We have no dye. I'll cut her hair and I'll find a better solution in Konoha."

Having my daughter running around bald for her entire life was weird idea.

"Uh… Her eyebrows are blue as well…"

"Well obviously, idiot."

"By the way… Why doesn't she have black hair? One could think Uchiha genetics should be the strongest," I didn't miss the hidden snicker under those words.

"Tch. Black hair aren't Uchiha's feature. Konan's were unique and that's why it's inherited. That's normal."

"Aye, aye, and that would mean that if Sakura had children they would all be pink haired, regardless of gender?"

I raised one eyebrow at him. "Well… yes."

He burst out laughing. "Oh my… why couldn't you like her in that way, dammit! I'd give both my arms to see little arrogant Uchiha boys with hair pink as pig's ass!"

"As what?"

"I didn't just say it," he suddenly straightened up, laughter gone.

"Yes you did. You said Sakura's hair look like a pig's ass."

"No I did not! They're like… uh, roses! Yeah, roses. Or cherry blossom petals, better."

"Tch, whatever."

"You won't use it against me, will you?"

"Depends."

"On?"

"Depends. Shut up," I stood up taking a kunai out of my pouch. "Hold her, I'll cut it all."

**N:**

"Oi, that doesn't look too safe," I said as he neared us with sharp blade in his hand. Somehow when I held the child, I wasn't feeling all that fear towards him. Situation was different, my brain had to read it in a way it deemed "secure" or something.

"I'm a ninja, baka. I can cut chosen strands of your hair from metres away."

He had a point. I watched as he slowly, and careful more than his cocky words could suggest, began getting rid of all the short blue hair on Kyuu's head, then getting to her eyebrows. She watched him, as if interested, squealing a few times when she felt cold touch on her skin.

"Ya know what? She now looks more like Gaara's than yours."

Sasuke frowned at me. "What?"

"Without eyebrows… Really, look. Little Gaara."

"That's ridiculous," he said but his lips curved up in a little smirk-like thing.

"Maybe, but nonetheless true, dattebayo!" I laughed.

**S:**

I looked as he laughed and I had an impression he truly laughs, not fakes it. Maybe I just don't know him that good anymore to see through his walls and facades…

"How can you still be like this after all that happened?" I questioned him.

He looked at me, tilting his head to the side like a confused puppy. "What do you mean, like this?"

"You act like an idiot, a cheery idiot, and all of the sudden your eyes change, your attitude does so too. Why and how? I don't understand, I've seen you so changed, and then… then one moment later you're just like you always were."

He smiled lightly at me. "Well… if I haven't learnt to look on the bright side of everything, just gave in into all the wrong happening to me, I would have failed a long time ago."

True as it was, his childhood couldn't be deemed easy. All alone, hated for the reasons unknown and incomprehensible for a kid, by all of those who he cared deeply for, who he saw as his closest ones. Not one could break and end in various different ways, dead, martyred, evil. But not Naruto, he always took the blow and managed to get on his feet, and I realized there was still much I didn't know about his past, but asking him now seemed like a bad choice.

He told me, just a few hours ago, that mean much to him, that he loves me. But I felt that he says it from habit, because he did for so long and it can be hard to finally understand that some boundaries were crossed and there's no turning back.

Who are we for each other now?

That important question has to be answered before I'll permit myself to dig into his past and feelings that should stay untouched by all of those not close enough to him. I needed to give him time to sort his emotions, real ones, out. To see what he really wants and feels.

If he still truly considers me his friend or just a responsibility left due to the old times, one he cannot distinguish from meaningful one.

-:-

**General POV**

Madara watched as Itachi entered his bedroom, his moves like the ones of a graceful cat. Just this evening he came back from the mission alongside Pein, but as he could wait with detailed reports of Akatsuki's progress from Konan, from Itachi he wanted everything immediately.

Everything and a little bit more.

Younger of the two chose the armchair under the opposite wall and made himself comfortable, throwing a glance at the book laying on the small table.

"Interesting title," he said. "Can I borrow it for the night?"

"Yes," Madara answered, as Itachi's eyes, with lashes too long and too black for a man, laid on the first page in a quick preview. He definitely liked the way he wore them both red since he came back from the escapade with Sasuke.

Thinking of whom. "Tell me more about that suicide attempt that have been mentioned. That would be most… unlucky for our plans if your brother died now."

"Great shame indeed. I was studying the seals placed upon Naruto to know if the bonds he has with me through Sasuke would be sufficient to proceed with the plan in case Sasuke died, but, unfortunately, they're not."

"To what extend do they work? Can you control him or affect his mind in any way?"

"No. I can feel his presence and my chakra can be used by him just like the one of Sasuke's, but I doubt there's anything more."

"Too bad."

"Indeed, but as long as Sasuke isn't dead, no harm was done and we can proceed. I'm sure Naruto will guard him and won't let this fool try something like that again."

"Why exactly did he do it? Did he tell you?" Madara's words were followed by a sigh coming from Itachi.

"Yes. Because of the things he saw in the jutsu I've noticed you about before," he said. "But even if now they only urge him to leave the world, for us, they mean all the good. They show that he is capable of killing Naruto, he just needs a push in the right direction. He will rid of the child as well in such case."

"Perfect," the man said with a vicious smirk appearing on his lips. "I want no Uchiha clan in Konoha. It will be just the repeat of the story and that is not an option. Did he tell you all of those or did you rip it out of his mind?"

Itachi snorted. "I need no more to rip anything from him. He'll give me whatever I ask of him, the only weak point he has is Naruto. The rest is mine for the taking."

Bold words they were, but doubtlessly true.

"What did you do to make him trust you so?"

"Whatever was necessary," came the simple reply and Madara laughed.

This was beautiful. His creation, Itachi, a perfect tool. Rid of all the weak points, guilt… morality. If they managed to make Sasuke cut those damn bonds he still possessed, and if their plan worked, no one would have to die, no one from the three of them. And then all of the demons would be theirs, and destroying Konoha would be just a child's play. And then… he would have all the time in the world to get what he desires.

He narrowed his eyes watching Itachi's slender fingers as he reached to the box and pulled out a cigarette. He smoked only on rare occasions, usually disgusted by the smell, but liking the way he could play with the fuming stick. And Madara loved to watch him do so.

Itachi was well aware of the look he was receiving, of the pair of red eyes tracing his every movement from when he could remember. He knew also he was deemed a perfect tool and he didn't mind, he adored perfection. But since perfection is but a legend, he had one fault – he was the tool that worked only on it's own will and there were things he would always refuse to do. At first he thought it because of those remnants of his feelings of what's right and what should stay forbidden, but then… he was proven very wrong.

He inhaled deeply and smirked under his breath. Oh well, such a shame.

"We need to wait for the right moment before we act," he said. "This is a delicate matter, Sasuke needs time to adjust to everything that happened, before he will feel the power crave again, strong enough to kill Naruto to gain it. We must make no mistake, for, after all, we're not only after mere power this time," he said. "We're after immortality."

-:-

**A/N: **Uh-oh. The last General POV part wasn't really planed. Okay, it wasn't planned at all. It's not even beta'ed, cause I added it one the impulse. Where that came from, no idea, but it's for the plotline, that's for sure.

I enjoyed writing some parts of this chapter. The others less. I know that nothing really happened in here, but the talks were needed and some more will come. I hope it's not too confusing what I wanted them to say, but when I write a big dialogue, monologue at times, I tend to get carried away. As always, if anything is unclear, just PM me and I'll answer your doubts and questions (or apologize for my own mistakes and try to fix them later). I hope it satisfies a little those of you who want SasuNaru. I know it's not romantic interaction yet, but still, I can hope :P Review, please! And don't forget the beginning authors note!


	36. Stay

**A/N: **Hello to you! Sorry for such a long period between the updates (long for this story anyway), but as I said, I have writers block and quite a few things in real life kept me busy, to the point that when I had free time and could write, my brain was like a sponge. I could barely spell my cat's name.

Brace yourself for more problem solving conversations and stuff. There's not going to be much actual action in this chapter. I'll let you rest from that for a moment (but not too long, I guess I'm not the one to write Konoha-life romance, I tried and I failed miserably, boring myself to death before I even finished making notes for that chapter).

**NOTE: **Uh, please don't connect this crow I've got here with the one from canon manga. I just learned recently of that other one and they have absolutely nothing in common in the way they work or whatever. Just a dumb coincidence :)

**-Chapter Thirty Six-**

_- Stay -_

**Sasuke/Naruto's POV**

**S: **It was the last night we had to spend in the forest, and by next day, we should reach Konoha. Theoretically we could do this in no more than two hours now, but we decided that's it's better to come after dawn than dusk, so we set up camp, and when Naruto was holding Kyuu and taking care of her diapers, (which I still refused to touch), I was making some makeshift crib for her. Last night was terrible as I tried to sleep with her on top of me, but she kept crawling or rolling down, successfully ridding me of any sleep I hoped to get.

The night was really hot. Way too hot for my liking, and when while the dobe seemed to quite enjoy it, I was cursing under my breath. I'd rather freeze than sit in the sun, and what was ridiculous here, was that when the sun set, the air got no cooler.

"Oi, Sasuke, what happened to your wrists?" he suddenly asked.

Fuck, I forgot. I grabbed back my long sleeved shirt. I didn't needed to explain to him.

"Don't put that on, bastard, I saw it already. What are those?"

"Nothing you should be concerned about," I answered.

"What are those?"

I rolled my eyes. "I cut myself, that's what you want to hear?"

It was a movement I could possibly catch only with my Sharingan as he appeared beside me with my arm in his hands, looking at it with a slight horror on his face. Suddenly, seeming not afraid of my proximity.

"These are not cutting wounds," he said, sighing in relief.

"Of course they're not, idiot," I said. "I'm not the one to inflict pain…" Upon myself, at least.

"They're rope-burns."

"No, really?" I snapped at him, annoyed, and jerked my arm away from his prying eyes.

He looked at me, confused, and I felt I had to tell him something or he wouldn't bugger off or worse, get ideas I'd rather him not to.

"I was having a bad nightmare, alright? Trashing around, and hurting myself in the process, and Ninjin bound me so she was able to give me sedating medicine."

"Oh…" he said, slowly backing away, the self-preserving part of his mind woke up. "I didn't know, I'm sorry. This looks… serious."

"It was a one time occurrence, don't look at me like that. You won't have to bind me in my sleep, baka." As if.

He grinned. "Good."

"What's with this crow, anyway?" I asked him. It's followed him around since the moment I had seen him coming back for me in Oto. No doubt it was no casual bird.

"I don't know, dattebayo! It's been following me since I came to that Inn you had there to meet with Akatsuki, and it only hid somewhere for the time you… weren't yourself, ya know. But then it pooffed back once again."

"You do know it comes from Itachi?"

"I'm not that dumb, Sasuke-teme. I asked him, he said he doesn't know why it follows me and he doesn't control it either, 'tebayo."

"Tch, bullshit," I snorted. "He controls everything." But himself.

"Eh?" he made his dumbest expression on me, winking his eyes like a moron would.

"I said it's bullshit. He has a reason to keep it close to you, though I don't know what that reason is."

**N:** "Maybe he likes me," I stuck my tongue at him. I had no idea really why would I say such thing. I think that some decent sleep would do me some good after all.

"Why would he like such an idiot. He likes power, if anything, and you don't have even this now," he spat.

"No need to bite that hard, bastard. It's not my fault I died."

"It's entirely your fault."

"No it isn't. If you hadn't run, I would've never chased you and never fell for such trap!"

"If you weren't so stubborn, you wouldn't be chasing me," he said, and I tasted bitterness in his voice.

"Sasuke, are you… jealous of Itachi's attention paid towards me?" I asked, a little in disbelief, but on the other hand, I think I could understand it if he was. Getting back, the person he looked up and loved in the most important and happiest days of his life could make him overly jealous and afraid of losing him.

It's not like I'm much different, after all.

"No, no, Naruto. I'm not jealous of the attention," he said, leaning his head on an arm resting on his knee. "I'm rather… worried."

"Worried? Of what?"

"You don't know him and I'm afraid I don't either. At least, not enough to know what he plans and plots inside that insane head of his. The less attention you get from him, the better for you."

"Since I died, he only helped me save you. He could do whatever he wished to me during our stay in the hideout, but he didn't do anything."

"That's good," Sasuke said. "But that doesn't make me less worried," his eyes followed the crow, which sat on the tree as if observing us from the top.

"I'm dead. It's not like much more can happen to me."

"You can be more dead, idiot. Remind yourself of your own blasted jutsu."

True. I could still die more. I lowered my head and took my rare breath. "Oi, Sasuke?"

"What, dobe?"

"Is it possible for us to share dreams?"

**S: **"What do you mean?" I frowned upon him.

"Like, ya know, I would dream same thing you do…" he said, barely audibly. "There's still a bond between us, that one from dying, so I thought that it could be possible…"

"It… could be, I guess," I said, suddenly feeling unsecure. Could he really see my dreams? The way his eyes darted towards the ground and voice shook a little told me that he, indeed, could. "What were you dreaming about?" I asked, trying not to sound embarrassed, even though I suddenly felt so.

"It… doesn't matter," he grinned at me.

"These are not MY memories," I said harshly. "I would never… you don't think I would, do you? That's… a disgusting thought."

"Ne, Sasuke, of course I don't think you would!" he rubbed the back of his head, I haven't missed the blush spreading on his cheeks. I raised my eyebrow at him. "Those are just dreams, dattebayo!"

They weren't, they were in fact memories. Just not mine. Luckily. I felt an unpleasant shiver run down my spine. It would take time to block them from coming back to me in my sleep, they were still in my subconsciousness. The thought of asking Kakashi to help me rid of them was suddenly very tempting. I hate people meddling with my brain, I really do, but knowing that Naruto can see those… Made me feel really uncomfortable.

"Go to sleep, I'll take the watch," I said, and he immediately shook his head no,

"I don't need to yet. You sleep, you're still not in your best condition."

"I'm fine," the nausea waves came and went, but other than that I did feel well.

"Just sleep, Sasuke-teme. I'm dead, I don't need to sleep that much anymore."

**N:** That wasn't entirely true, this Orochimaru caused body was getting exhausted, but sleeping was the last thing I wished for. Especially with Sasuke being able to watch over me and my pitiful ways of sleeping.

Sasuke nodded and walked over to Kyu, as if pondering about something.

"I'll watch over her," I said. "Just rest properly this time."

He nodded. "Fine."

I watched as he laid down on his back, his eyes staring for a moment in silence unto the sky, before his eyelids fell close. Whether he was truly asleep or not, I couldn't tell. I took Kyu and held her in my arms. She was sleeping in peace, not disturbed by my actions in the least. I wondered what Sasuke truely felt, knowing that he has a child now, that he is a father and her mother is nonetheless but one of the most wanted criminals. I also wondered how Konoha would react, knowing both the parents of the girl. Sakura and Kakashi would surely accept her with that comes with it, I saw in the visions. I smiled at the memories of her being six year old, such a cute child.

But then I felt some sadness, because now that she has a father, I wouldn't become the one for her. And for some reason I couldn't imagine myself having my own kids, ever. What would people think of children of the Kyuubi's vessel anyway? Not to forget the whole being dead-deal. I laughed in my mind at those ridiculous thoughts. Every time I reminded myself that I am dead, it was just something beyond my understanding.

I swayed the girl gently, stoking her head. I was happy Sasuke evidently trusted me enough to let his only child rest in my hands, while he himself took his wary eyes off his offspring. Maybe I was just telling myself it meant something because I wished it would, but that made it no less great. As long as he was near me, safe and sound, as long as I could just go and look at him whenever I wished to, I knew that all the past wouldn't matter that much. I haven't felt so peaceful and calm like this night for a long, long time.

It was as if everything was finally falling into place, and even if there were things I wished never to happen and couldn't quite understand, I decided they don't matter. Not enough. Looking at my sleeping friend, I felt so tempted to go and lay beside him, but I knew that I couldn't. Neither he, nor myself, would allow me to do so.

Even though the time was passing slowly in the night of no events, frankly, I was nowhere near being bored. It was serenity, and I thoroughly enjoyed it before, as I knew, I'll become hyper again. That was just a feat nothing could rid me of.

Suddenly I heard Sasuke shuffle. He muttered something followed by a silent moan. My eyebrows rode up my forehead. Did I mishear it or did Sasuke indeed moan? I placed Kyu gently back in her crib. "Hush, little one," I whispered to her as she opened her eyes. I placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and stealthily approached her father.

Yes, he was definitely having one of those dreams, his face in funny grimace, and trashing around a little.

"I… I can't… Oh!"

The image was so out of place I barely kept myself from snorting.

He squirmed, his hands clutching the grass he laid on. "Ka…Kabuto!"

'…'

My mind went blank. Literally blank. Blank as… the blankest of things.

It took a while before my thinking ability came back to me, and Sasuke, after muttering Kabuto's name a few more times followed by a love confession, fell back into his slumber.

'Not MY memories,' he said, I remembered. He was having wet dreams about Kabuto. He thought I was sharing his dreams. It all become clear, obviously he kept a little bit more of Orochimaru than he would wish for but the thought of such thing has NEVER even come close to crossing my mind.

I thought that… that…

'Oh Kami, what kind of a sick freak am I to think such a thing? I can dream of such things… In his case it would be… downright wrong and gross. Yes, gross. It would definitely be gross.

Shut up you inner.

Gross it would be. And scary.

I shook my head. Sasuke was having nighttime fantasies about Kabuto. Think of Kabuto. Think of Kabuto.

Fuck if that didn't scare me even more.

'Just… stop thinking. It was never of any good for you.'

-:-

**General POV**

"For gods' sake, Itachi, stop doing this!"

Itachi looked at the woman, raising one eyebrow in question. "Stop doing what?"

Konan closed the door behind her, rolling her eyes. "Dry your hair this way," she said coming towards him.

Uchiha blinked at her and looked at the towel in his hand. What the hell was wrong with that woman since she gave birth? Were her ridiculous instincts activating randomly in the vicinity of every person younger than her? "What?"

"Rubbing the towel on them will make you have split ends," she said coming towards him and taking the towel off his hand. "Males… Sit down, I'll do it properly," she pushed him down on the bed, not even waiting for reaction. It's not like he could go around and torture his coworkers, so she deemed him harmless enough for the moment.

Itachi sighed, he had no nerve to fight her over such a futile thing at the moment, and since her doings on his head weren't particularly unpleasant, he decided to let it pass this time.

"That Konoha spy you found, who is he?" he asked after a moment, passing Konan a comb.

"An old teacher of mine and teammate of both the current Hokage and Orochimaru. You probably have heard of him."

"Jiraiya?" Itachi frowned.

"Yes."

He cursed. Another complication was to be expected, but still, a nice piece of rough language always made one feel better.

"You can't kill him," he said.

"Why?"

"I promised my brother."

Konan stopped for a moment, surprised. "Why would he want such a promise? Does he know him at all?"

"I doubt he really cares about that man, the promise was different. And I guess it concerns Jiraiya, among a few others."

"Can't you just say what you mean?"

"No."

"To hell with you, Itachi. Tell me why shouldn't he die or go explain yourself for your broken promise to Sasuke."

The man glared at Konan. "It's about Naruto," he said. "Jiraiya, as far as I know, was his teacher for three years. I promised Sasuke to keep the people that matter the most to that kid safe," he said, but elaborating all his thoughts wasn't his favourite thing to do, and for whatever reason it was, he was irked being forced to talk about Naruto right now.

"Ah, I see. Well that makes sense now."

"Yes. And since we need Sasuke's cooperation and trust, the last thing on the 'must have' list is a broken promise."

"Indeed. Well then, anything against keeping him captive? It's not possible to just let him spy on us."

"As long as he lives and keeps his body parts in place, I don't give a damn."

Woman snorted. "Quite blunt." Itachi shrugged. "By the way, I've noticed you no longer use the term 'Kyuubi's vessel' or even 'Jinchuuriki' while referring to Naruto. That's surprising to me, I must admit. Is there a reason for that?"

True. He left disrespectful, object-like names for Uzumaki. Even when talking to people other than Sasuke, who he expected to go into rage upon hearing those names. But why that happened, he knew now, he haven't spent enough time with his brother to catch on that habit.

"Things just got more complicated," he said, not really sure what he meant, but deeming that the best answer. "And he no longer carries the Kyuubi."

"In a way he still does. Sasuke said Orochimaru sealed it away from the kid, but it's still there in it's chakra-existence. But I wonder, how can he still be sealed within Naruto if the boy has no body to keep it inside?"

"It's not about sealing anymore, that was gone the moment they escaped from the dying body. Naruto probably does not know that, but he and Kyuubi merged to some degree. Had he been unsealed for longer, the effects could become visible, but Orochimaru prevented it from happening."

"You mean he could get the control over them and do his bidding?"

"Honestly? That's also probably a lot more complicated than this. Although, I know now how exactly it works. I would have to have him to run some research and I honestly doubt either Naruto or Sasuke would agree to let me do so."

Konan smiled, combing his black hair lazily. She could've finish her work long ago, but she found it quite pleasant to play with the silk strands, and as long as Itachi didn't really mind, she found no reason to deny herself. "It seems that Sasuke's beginning to treat Naruto as his property to me. The way he talks about him speaks clearly to me that this is more or less how he perceives that kid now."

"Naruto lives off Sasuke's life essence and his chakra. He's bound to his body, even if the Orochimaru seals did what they could to lighten that bond, it's still there and it's undeniable. I don't even think Naruto would really be able to live long after Sasuke died, but that's just a theory of mine. Either way, Sasuke has every right to deem him his property, if you ask me."

The woman frowned. "Your view is a bit different from the one I remember you for."

"People change. Priorities change. Points of view change along them."

"Human being others possession is called slave, you know that."

Itachi shrugged, smirking. "So be it slave then, that doesn't change my opinion."

"Good thing you don't spend more time with Sasuke. Even in his way of acting there's still innocence left, you would rid him of it quite quickly."

"I'm afraid that won't last too long, though," Uchiha said. "Naruto is the only thing keeping it in him."

"You're going to kill that kid, aren't you?"

Itachi noticed long ago that Konan began to like Naruto for reasons unknown. But still, she was too dedicated to the Akatsuki to meddle with plans they had just because of that.

"Yes," he said. "Sasuke will."

-:-

**Naruto/Sasuke's POV**

**S:** We stopped just before Konoha's gates came into our view. Sitting over the small lake I met Konan for the first time, I gazed over Naruto, who carelessly jumped into the water, not even thinking of taking his clothes off.

"What the hell are you doing, dobe?" I asked him as he swam closer to the edge. "You're all wet now with nothing to change into."

"It's too hot to bear it! Even for me. Lend that ice brick you call your heart and I'll come out of this blissful water."

I glared at him. "Tch, idiot."

I took my bath earlier in the morning, while Naruto was playing with Kyu. Now she was bound to my chest so even if I indeed felt the tiniest lust to get into the lake along him, I couldn't just leave her on the grass alone. I began to admire women who relentlessly wore their kids bound to either back or chest, day by day, hour by hour and no matter how hot it was.

Yes, that was a fact. I was literally boiling and my little bundle of additional heat wasn't helping me in any way. And my heart has probably melted by now, because it gave me no relief either.

"Get out already, I want to go back to Konoha and indulge in a cold, civilized bath."

"Oi, Sasuke-teme," he said climbing onto the ground. "Are you going to stay in Konoha? I mean like… stay stay? For good?"

I thought about it for a moment. Could I stay in there? Yes, surely I could. Did I want it, was a real question. Did I need it.

"What if I wished to leave?"

His eyes flickered with fear but he quickly hid it. "I would ask you if you still wished to kill yourself," he said. "To promise me you won't."

"What if I didn't?"

"I would bind you to the wall and stay by your side, watching you day and night and removing every rock you could possibly suffocate yourself with, cut your food into tiny pieces, and made sure you don't drown yourself in the sink. And everything else I could come up with."

"You're insane."

**N: **I grinned at him. Yes, I am insane. For Sasuke. I just couldn't stand the mere thought of him dying, and I would give up on everything to keep him alive until he realizes that's the better way. Be it an eternity, I would never let go. That's just not my way.

"And if I did?" he asked after a moment.

I closed my eyes for a moment as the wind blew stronger, teasing my body dripping wet and sending a few pleasant shivers, producing goose-bumps.

"I would chase you again… if you had no reasonable reason."

"What the hell is a reasonable reason, dobe?"

"The reason that I deem reasonable," I answered plainly. He could really be dense at times, I suppose. Or maybe he was still just exhausted. But then I reminded myself what we were talking about and my good mood was blown away. "Do you still wish to leave, Sasuke?" I asked him seriously.

I tried to read something in his eyes as they bore into me, as if he tried to do the same thing. The only difference being me having nothing to hide, wanting to hide nothing from him. Was he still wavering? Still unsure if he wished to stay? But why not? He had no goal in life anymore, he had nowhere else to go. Or rather, nowhere to go I would let him go to. He could join Akatsuki, I had no doubts about it, and probably they would be very happy to have him among them. But that was out of question. I couldn't ever allow him to do such a thing. He belonged in Konoha. With Kyu, and with us, all of those who cared deeply for him.

**S: **He was serious. He wanted to know and if I didn't tell him, he wouldn't find his peace, nor let me have mine. I knew him enough to assume that simple fact.

"It's not that easy," I said.

"What do you mean, it's not that easy?" he cut me off, his eyes widening in question.

"If you shut up and let me talk, I'll tell you."

He flinched and backed away a four-limbed step. I cursed lightly in my mind, I didn't want to sound harsh enough to scare him. I was still forgetting he is more… sensitive than he used to be. That I cannot yet treat him like I always did. But I wished he recovered. I wished he was back to that idiot I knew and deemed my best friend for so long now.

I did. But did he really?

"I need you to think, Naruto, take your time and consider it really if what you're asking of me, staying in Konoha, close to you, is really what you want. I have an impression that you have fallen into a habit of sorts, that you just follow me and chase me down to drag me back to that place you call home, because that's what you promised Sakura and yourself. Because that's what seems to be right. But if you ask me, that's not right anymore. That's the bad decision coming from you and," it hurt me to say that, but I knew I had to put everything straight for him. He had suffered enough and if I could do something to help him avoid making more mistakes I would. "I think you should move on, dobe."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you really should let me go, on your own accord, with your consent, and agree with the fact that too many things happened, to many hurt and wounds that cannot be healed just like this, to carry like they were, in fact, non-existent."

"Things happened, yes, but I don't understand. What does it change?"

I sighed heavily. "Don't you see, Naruto? Are you the one so blind? Every time we met, it ended with you getting hurt. Every time you tried to chase after me, it ended with you suffering. You died, because you wished to have me back and then, only thing I ever did on purpose was hurting you."

He blinked at me a few times in silence, I knew he wished to speak so I kept my silence, awaiting.

"Yes, Sasuke. I hurt," he said finally. "I hurt much because of all the things you did, both mentally and physically, but that's not enough. I can't let you go, I just can't let you go. I tried once, I admit I did, when I felt there wasn't anything else I could do. That's when I fell into Akatsuki's trap. It was the only thing I could think of, and even though I knew it was probably a trap, even then I couldn't let go. My mind told me to, but my heart was always…" he paused. "Yours. I love you too much to let you go away. Please Sasuke, stay. For me. Stay. Stay. Stay…"

Stay.

Stay.

"Naruto…"

"Please, I beg you, Sasuke," suddenly all the reason and wisdom I saw in his eyes just a moment before was gone, replaced by a sheer panic, as he began to mumble more stays, more pleases, more begs. "Stay. The love I feel for you is no illusion, is no habit. It's as true as it gets, how can I prove it to you? Tell me and I will. I will do everything you wish to make you understand how much I want you to stay. I have no power to fight you and drag you with your arms and legs broken to Konoha, I have no power to challenge you for a duel and win your comeback. But… but I'll do everything I still can."

"Everything?"

"Every damn thing you can think of. If I had anything to give you, you would wish for, take it, I don't mind. It's all yours, all I have. My soul, my mind, everything. Me. As long as you promise me to stay, Sasuke. Stay."

The answer was so immediate. He didn't think, he didn't take the moment to consider before offering me the last things he had.

Could I still doubt him?

I couldn't.

After regaining himself after so long time, he was eager to throw his freedom, everything, away again just for the sake of me coming along.

I reached my arm to him. "Place you hand upon mine," I said, and after only a short moment of confusion he did as I told him.

I closed my eyes and whispered words of Orochimaru's technique. When I opened them again, Naruto was looking wide-eyed at the red ribbon connecting our hands.

"What is it?" he asked me.

"It's a thing Orochimaru did to always be able to find you. Mitsukeru is the word to activate or deactivate it. From now on, you will be able to find me as well. I believe that if I tell you for how long I leave, you will respect my privacy and not stalk me, but in the case of another runaway, you have this. I trust you to do as you deem it right."

**N:** I watched at the beautiful, somehow chakra-shaped strip waved gently, as if in the wind. It wasn't fully material, but I could almost feel it's silky touch on my palm. I looked at Sasuke, his eyes once again unreadable for me.

But I understood well what he wished to tell me.

He will stay.

And he trusts me more than he trusts his own self.

-:-

**A/N:** Since I know that there are like 9 or 10 chapters left to the end of this fiction, and know more or less what will happen there, by the habit of mine, I have already names for them. Next one will most likely be called "Kinds of Love".

Thank you for your reviews, folks. I'm so tempted sometimes to become a review whore and say: 30 reviews until the next chapter is out (I saw you can do this, lazy asses, this and more)! Heheh… but I think that review given because someone felt like it is more than a forced one. But temptation is there, nonetheless, and maybe I'll try it sometime, just for the heck of it x). But, uh, by different tactic this time – be nice and review if you like this story! Pretty please? (puppy eyes) :P

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	37. Kinds of Love

**A/N: **I have no idea what should I say. Trying to cure my writers block. Thanks to those who review, that's the only thing that made me write more now.

Corsiva at the beginning is, of course, a dream. I like to play with dreams in fiction, if someone managed to miss this up until now.

**-Chapter Thirty Seven-**

_- Kinds of Love -_

**Naruto's POV**

_I turned around suddenly. I could swear I heard a noise from behind me, but there was nothing. A falling leaf caught my attention, but this time, it really was just a leaf._

_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu! I made the hand signs a little bit clumsily. When was the last time I used them, really?_

_The weird feeling of chakra awakening in me made a shiver run up my spine. I kinda felt this way when I performed my first ever jutsus._

_I grinned widely upon seeing my clones. It wasn't that long, it wasn't even a year, but still, it felt like an eternity. I had the silly urge to hug them._

_Another whistle made my guard slip back up. 'Damn!' My ninja instincts were really weakened. That whistle was a courtesy of hers, and I knew it._

_I jumped back, avoiding some crazy paper thrown at me. One of my three clones got cut and disappeared in a puff of smoke. I sent another towards my enemy and retreated with one on my own._

_Could I still form Rasengan properly?_

_I had to try. I had no help this time, so I would have to use my Bunshin anyway._

_If only Kyuubi wasn't so damn Kyuubi, he would teach me how to control it better. Fuck that fox._

_It took me two tries to form the chakra ball. She waited. She wanted me to succeed, and even if my pride hurt a little, I was grateful for that. I would have time to prove myself later. The world, as far as I'm aware, isn't coming to an end for now._

_"Where the hell are you?" I couldn't see her. She was hiding in the shadows better than anyone I knew. I wrinkled my nose._

_"You can't feel me, can you?" her voice reached my ears somewhere from the west. I turned around to see her, standing almost in front of me, her hands resting nonchalantly on her hips._

_I pouted and loaded the Rasengan into the ground in a gesture of anger._

_"No," I admitted. "I don't know, I can't focus this chakra the way I want really. It's somehow weird"._

_"It will come in time. When Sasuke awakens fully, he'll make it work."_

_"Sasuke, Sasuke. Why does he always have to be the one to control things I cannot?!" I crossed my arms in front of my chest._

_"This time it's more complicated. But you're doing well enough to defeat me in such biased duel."_

_She had to point out the biased word, didn't she? "I know, I know, Konan. But the water was too far away and you wouldn't let me reach that pond!"_

_"Well, you weren't sneaky enough to, kid. Sit down and rest, you may have your stamina back, but I'm quite behind you in that one."_

_I grinned and sat beside her, helping myself with those delicious cookies they had here. At least at something I was better._

_Whenever I tried to remind myself where I was, who these people really were and what they've done or were about to do, my mind was like breaking down, so for the time being I turned off all those thoughts and just took what they offered. Especially her. She was different. I guess being a woman made her different._

_"You're shaking," she noticed as she placed her hand on mine to calm me down._

_"That's nothing," I smiled, rubbing my head as I always did when agitated._

_"That's something. What happened?"_

_I sighed. "Just, whenever I form Rasengan, or any other offensive jutsu I guess, I remind myself of it."_

_She stroked my cheek in a motherly gesture. "You've talked with Sasuke about it, haven't you?"_

_Yeah, I did. Just that?"_

_"What did he say?"_

_He said it's fine, and he thanked me, for I kinda avenged his clan, even if revenge was never what I intended. But he said that since I'm parasiting on him, I'm kinda a part of him, so it is like he did it, partially. Anyway, he meant that he's fine with it, and he's grateful, but..."_

_"But?" she insisted when I stopped._

_"I have never killed before. It hurts, no matter if the man who died was evil or good, it hurts. I've taken the life of a powerful man, and now I think about the fact the he is no longer alive, breathing, influencing the world all around. All the knowledge he possessed is gone, all the memories, all the bonds. Everything, broken and taken by me."_

_She was silent for a while, before saying, "That's what you've chosen by becoming a ninja, Naruto. Why did you wish to have your abilities back if killing scares you so?"_

_I shrugged. "I never thought about killing. I was thinking about defending those I love."_

_"You're one in a million," she told me. "I can hardly believe you're still so innocent at this age."_

_"I'm afraid I'm far from that one, dattebayo!" I laughed._

_"You're closer to it than some children I knew, believe me."_

_I squirmed for a moment. I had to ask her again, even though I felt she;d rather deny me it again. :Tell me, please, what did Sasuke do? What exactly did he do to grant me all of this back?:_

_Konan sighed. "I told you I won't tell you, Naruto. Stop asking."_

_Don't I have right to know?"_

_"No."_

_That's not the right answer," I pouted again. I had to stop doing this, but I just couldn't. It was a habit too deep, dammit._

_"That's the only one you will get. You needn't worry, he will live, I don't know exactly what the repercussions are, but I'm sure he will live. And whatever happens, he stated clearly that Konoha and Suna are to stay untouched and so will be, so you may swallow that question of yours as well. It's decided."_

_I tried to scowl at her. Why was she still reading my mind? It was annoying me to no end. Was I really so predictable?_

_"But why the hell can't I see him? I really, really need to talk to him."_

_"He's unconscious."_

_"Well fine, but I still I want to see him."_

_But before Konan could reply the scream broke the silence. "HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!" the male voice sounded from the inside of the building and was quickly followed by the rushed footsteps._

_The moment Hidan appeared in the yard, I felt my muscles tense. I despised him. The only thing the image of that man brought to my mind was death. And had there not been this strange alliance, I would fight him till someone died or was disjointed for good._

_But when I saw him this time, my eyes widened._

_"The fucking seal fucking half-broke!" he hollered, wiping the horrendous amount of blood flowing from his chest, looking as if some beast clawed on it._

_Konan turned to me, blue eyes narrowed slightly. "Kyuubi," she whispered, and the next moment I found myself inside the cage I knew so well from the other side._

_There was no more seal on it, Kyuubi was bound only by our agreement._

_And now obviously he knew more than I did and was called to where the action lead._

_And I didn't like it one bit._

-:-

**Sasuke's/Naruto's POV**

**S:** I woke up to find Naruto asleep, Kyu snuggled in his hands, sucking at his hair like there was no tomorrow, but the idiot was obviously too far gone to notice anything. I growled and forced myself to get up. We had to go back to Konoha and I was in no mood to waste time. I quickly went to refresh myself, and make myself more or less awake, and then came back and took my child off his arms.

"Someone could steal YOU and you wouldn't notice shit," I muttered, angry from having the diaper changing challenge before me. But looking at Naruto, I didn't really want to wake him up. It was rather obvious he didn't plan on sleeping, so that meant he really had to be exhausted to do so.

After I managed to make everything work, look and smell like it should, I fell under the tree and put Kyu on my lap. I still couldn't believe she's my daughter. I smirked as she grabbed my finger to suck on it as well. Children were so awkward. I don't know what I think of her, or what I feel about her. Surely it's nowhere near love, it's rather a need to protect her. The part of my mind that told me she is mine. Mine.

Ridiculous.

I'm too young to have a child, for gods sake!

But it was no dream. I felt reality sucking on my finger and grabbing my hand.

Well, at least I knew how she'll look when she grows up a bit. If I didn't, I could hardly tell now I'm her father. Little blue smurf. I can't believe Uchiha color genes are so weak.

**N: **I shot straight up the moment I realized I'd fallen asleep. I was suppose to guard us during our rest, and not only did I doze off, but if Sasuke noticed, he would know I lied about not needing to sleep.

On the other hand, he probably knew it already. He had all of Orochimaru's memories, and so he knew how it all works. But still. He would know I lied.

Nothing new. No luck for me. I saw Sasuke sitting under the tree, feeding Kyu with the bottle Ninjin gave us. He glanced at me.

"Awake?"

"Do I look as if I was asleep?"

His gaze turned into glare as he refocused on Kyu. "Get up then, we need to get going."

"I wasn't sure why I snapped at him like that. He was being nice, in Uchiha standards. I guess we both were still confused about everything that happened, and no matter how much I wished, we wouldn't be back to what we used to be any time soon.

If ever.

If I even wished that to happen.

It wasn't long then until we reached the gates of Konoha. I welcomed them again with a smile, they never ceased to cheer me up.

And the thought of coming here alongside Sasuke, who promised to stay, who promised to never leave again, that made me want to jump around like a retarded kitten. I sure had times when I felt that nothing will ever go right in my life again recently, but now this was proving different. Maybe the karma would finally turn to my side, maybe I had my share of shit for now.

I looked at Sasuke. He seemed a little agitated, his right hand clutching Kyu tightly to his chest. What could he be anxious about?

We were coming home.

For good.

It was great.

"Oi! You there!" I yelled to the gate-guardians, and they rose their eyes to me. Immediately two pair of eyebrows rose high and their gazes fell on Sasuke.

"Uchiha?" the one muttered as we neared them.

"Hai!" I grinned. "Brought him back, finally, dattebayo!"

"You will be escorted to the Hokage building immediately," the man said, and waved at three others inside.

"We're not going to make any troubles," I assured them, since they looked unsecure nearing us.

"I hope so. Follow us."

-:-

**S: **I sighed.

"Her mother was a girl from Sound. She gave birth just before I left with Naruto, dying in the process. I didn't wish to go into details about who she was, that is unimportant," I said, never once lowering eyes under Tsunade's piercing gaze. "I wish to keep the child and raise it, she is from my blood and will acquire Sharingan, therefore I don't think the Elders-," I tried hard to keep the bitterness off my voice, "Would accept her, regardless of who her mother was."

Tsunade nodded. "Continue."

"When I ran, after final defeating of Orochimaru, I went straight towards the Sound village. I don't know what happened to my brother, and I haven't seen him ever since."

From her eyes I saw she didn't see through my lie. I indeed was trained well to deceive her. But what surprised me even more, was that Naruto had neither shown any signs that could betray me. He stood still, listening to lie after lie I gave to the beloved Hokage of his, the woman he respected most of all.

He has changed so much.

"Naruto found me inside of the village where I took the position of the Kage, and convinced me to go back with him."

"You were convinced by him, so why did you run in the first place?"

"My body was taken by Orochimaru for seven months, and after being freed, I felt confused and needed time to think. I did, and then Naruto was capable of convincing me to go back. We took our leave after my daughter was born. I don't know anything about Sound's current condition, I took no further interest in the falling village."

"Do you remember anything from the time your body was possessed?"

"No," I answered firmly, hoping my voice wouldn't shake. "All I saw was the blackness of my mind prison."

"For now, you will be limited to the room you were living in before for the further questioning on some matters. You will be forbidden to leave it or meet anyone during the period of one week. Your child will be kept safe in the hospital,"

"No," I stated. "She is not to be kept in there alone."

"She will be under the care of nurses."

"No. Either she stays with me, or under the protection of the rest of Team Kakashi." Under the protection of Naruto. I trusted nobody else to take care of her, it wasn't just a matter of keeping her heritage a secret, it was a matter of allowing someone to watch over my daughter. The mere thought of allowing some random medics do so made me hold her tighter.

"Sure, I'll take care of her, dattebayo!" Naruto grinned, I saw his eyes flash. Was it so important to him that I trusted him with Kyu?

He came over to me, willing to take the girl, and I passed her to him gently. As impossible as it seems, I had a feeling he loves this child already.

"Alright then," Tsunade said, rubbing her temples. "Naruto, the kid is on yours and Sakura's responsibility for now, she needs to be checked up at hospital daily, and-,"

"Oi, Baa-chan! I'm sure Sakura-chan will know exactly what she needs, ne, little one?" He tickled Kyu lightly, holding her easily in one arm.

"Sasuke, you will be now escorted to your room. Behave please, I've way too much on my head to bother about you now," I smirked mentally. Any other Hokage would make this meeting last a few hours and leave us both in the sponge-like state of mind, while the only person who seemed to be in so now was the Hokage herself.

And yet Konoha functioned better than in the Third's times.

I always thought being too straight was a little exaggerated.

I allowed them to escort me back to the room, and surprisingly enough, I welcomed it with a sigh of relief. I had a week where I could do nothing, a week when I could just lay and think. Rest. Realize and proceed everything that happened.

And hell, if the week was enough.

-:-

**General POV**

"Deidara-sempai!"

Itachi raised one eyebrow as curiosity took over him. So called 'Tobi' ran into the room with asinine, childish gibberish, and launched at the sculptor.

"What is it now, un?" he growled, disgruntled at having his favourite company back.

Itachi pretended to take no interest in the conversation on the other side of the kitchen and continued meticulously cutting his fruits for the salad.

"The Leader said we're going on a mission together now, isn't that great?" he waved his hands around.

"I'm dying from joy Tobi, yeah" Deidara muttered. and their idle chatter continued for a while, but Itachi paid little attention the exact words.

It was not the words that matter, it was the actions. Whatever the mission he would like to take Deidara for, he knew it was insignificant itself. There had to be something more, otherwise, in the situation like this, he wouldn't waste his time for futile jobs.

Of course, he could be wrong and he knew this, but everyone smart enough knew that it's always better safe than sorry. He finished his chopping and took the salad along, making his way into the dungeon of the main hideout.

Seemed that this time, luck was rather on his side, for Hidan was indeed in the place.

He rose his eyes up on the entering Uchiha. It was not often he had guests in this place, probably the overcoming stench of blood was one of the reasons.

But hell, that man was insane enough not to be bothered by some gruesome views.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he greeted the visitor, wiping some blood off his hand casually.

"I have a business I need to discuss with you," Itachi said. "This is to be kept between you and me. If you need approval, ask Konan, nobody else has to ever hear about it. Is it possible to be arranged?"

"I don't fucking give a shit what the rest wants to know, speak your blasted mind, and it better be worth my time."

Itachi knew well he will go and ask Konan, Akatsuki was held in one place only because there were still authorities.

Too bad, not the true one was known as it was. Such a shame.

In the matter they were facing now, he knew that even if their so-called leader himself was to oppose his little safety-scheme, Konan would find a way to convince him otherwise.

Either this would never matter, or things were going to change soon. If there really were sides to choose from, only time would tell, but if there were, she had only one she really would choose.

-:-

"I don't remember saying anything like that," Pein raised his eyebrow at Konan, who faced him with determined look.

"Then why didn't you interrupt me?"

"I was curious. It's not everyday you make decisions as such on your own."

"It's not everyday I want to," she moved away from her partner and sat in the armchair with a bottle of wine. She always loved it, pregnancy was a hard period where she had to deny herself even this little pleasure.

"Why do you trust Itachi more with the child?"

"He has no reason to hurt it, I know that, I'm sure of that. I may never know what anyone else wishes and this is my priority now."

The man nodded his head slowly. "The chaos will ensue if Itachi is right, you know that, don't you?"

"Of course I do. Three is a crowd, this cannot go for much longer. If I am to take the part in this, I will protect Kyu at all costs."

"Regardless of how the events unfold, I wish to see this child."

Konan sipped on the red drink, smiling lightly. "You will, just be patient. For now, she is too small to tell anything anyway," whatever reason Pein had to be so interested in her baby, she knew they were not putting it in danger. She didn't mind his interest, as long as that also meant protection.

It was amusing how one little being can change everything, everything they have planned so drastically.

And it amused her even more that everything would be totally different, had Naruto not died on that day almost ten months ago. To watch the days pass, the plans and aims change day by day was getting more interesting every passing moment, and at some point in time, she couldn't tell, where in the end they would lead to, who will have an upper hand and laugh in the end.

-:-

Uchiha Madara watched with narrowed eyes as Deidara scrutinized his arms, muttering curses under his breath. Where he was, he did not know and he did not wonder. His mind noticing the sudden change of a place he was in, gave easily into slight genjutsu manipulation, allowing the man to shape his perceiving a little more with just slightest of efforts.

"I'll fucking KILL that Hatake!" Deidara growled, and the man watching him smirked.

The jutsu was working perfectly, the experiment was successful already, and only on the second try.

It was as if everything that he'd been through after his fight with Kakashi of Konoha had never happened. As if he still had only stunts instead of his arms.

And the genjutsu did even more. It rendered him unable to see anything that was in contradiction of what he remembered. He didn't feel his arms, he felt handicapped.

With one word, and a few hand signs he released Deidara from his jutsu.

Perfect technique, and even though it took much to develop it, and it took much to make it work, he knew that the day may come it will be the only thing to save him. He was no fool, he knew that there are people capable of killing him, should they try their hardest.

And he knew that may happen.

And if he had to choose, he wished to deal with hatred, feeling so strong, yet shapeable, understandable and predictable. He could make it work on his side, be the advantage for him to use.

What he was afraid of was the only stronger feeling, the one he could never predict, never overcome, the only one that could really lead to his demise.

The one everything failed to kill.

Love.

-:-

**A/N:** Question to you: Do you want another try at something more than fluff? If so, I may try it in one of the nearest chapters where it would make sense. But it surely wouldn't be the best one, the closest thing to a lemon I've ever written was that little thing some chapters ago, duh. So, well, your call. I'll probably go with the majority if I find teh courage again.

For the bored ones, I have two new one-shots written. Nothing serious, one is a Henry Lee Songfic, the other is a parody of one of the 'Chicago' songs. Take a look if you'12re interested :)


	38. Shape of my Heart

**A/N:** Standard warning applies. Big thanks to my beta JadeOokami and readers who stick with this fic and enjoy it :)

**-Chapter Thirty Eight-**

_-Shape of my Heart-_

**N:** "Narutoooo!!"

The moment I walked past the Ichiraku, Sakura's wild scream made me cringe.

"Sakura-chan, don't charge and hit me!" I yelled, seeing my friend running wildly at me with her fist up in the air.

And then she stopped dead in her tracks, he usual aggressive attitude gone as if by magic.

"Naruto?" her eyes fell on the bundle in my arms as she came closer.

"I'll explain everything, Sakura-chan, just, let's find some more secluded place, eh? Maybe mine, it's closest."

She just nodded, and without more ado, followed me to my house. The moment the door was closed, she turned to me.

"What the hell happened? I was worried to death for both of you! First you come back, and the next moment you are gone again! And not only you, have you heard that Itachi escaped the jail? I thought he did something to you! After seven months, you came here back for a few days, I have hardly seen you, and the moment I actually felt so relieved you're back you just… vanished again!" her eyes burned fiercely as she smacked me hard on the head.

I took her hand and lead her to the couch. It creaked loudly in protest when we sat on it. I wondered how much longer would it take before snapping under some unfortunate person.

"Sakura-chan, I'm sorry… it's been sudden, it's so hard to explain…"

"Naruto, you ran off without noticing anyone, for gods' sake!"

"It's only been a week!"

"Over a week!"

"But still, a week, c'mon, Sakura-chan! I've brought Sasuke back!"

Her eyebrows rose high as another yell was stuck it her throat. "You succeeded?" She asked in slight disbelief.

I grinned widely. "Yup! He's back, Tsunade-baa-chan closed him for now, but he's definitely back home, dattebayo!"

Her beautiful green eyes sparkled brightly, she was happy, it was also still her dream to have him back.

Does she still love him after all these years?

"Why did he run?" she asked. "After he was freed, why didn't he stay here? You said you'd tell me when you get him back, and he's back. Now tell me."

"I don't remember saying anything like that, Sakura-chan!" I stuck my tongue at her. "Don't try to fool me."

"Ah, dammit. Honestly, Naruto, I have a feeling you're hiding something painful and I just don't know what could I do to help you…"

"It's alright, Sakura-chan, nothing bad's hidden, everything's fine now, tebayo!"

She smiled and then her eyes fell on Kyu. "What's there?"

I bit my lower lip, and uncovered the head of a baby. "A child, Sakura-chan."

She gaped at me. "Where did you get the child from? Eh? Naruto?" She came closer and kneeled before me to look into the blankets. "Oh my god, it's so small…"

I smiled as she stroked sleeping Kyu's head. I wonder how she did'nt wake from all the noises and commotion around before, but she spent half of the night awake, so probably that was the reason.

But when she was touched, she opened her eyes suddenly and looked at Sakura curiously.

"What's it's name?"

"Kyu," I said deciding to best leave the name at its shorter form for good.

"Kyu? Nice, ne, little one? Can I hold it, please?"

"Sure thing, she's a very calm one, Tsunade baa-chan said we are to take care of her for the next week, she needs some hospital check-ups or whatever, I don't know, I know that you know though, right?"

"Yes I know, I know," she cuddled the baby closer to her, her face taking funny mimic as she spoke with tiny voice. What was with the children anyway, they got such awkward reactions from the adults? And then she frowned suddenly.

"Something's wrong?" I asked, feeling my heart jump up a little.

"Wrong? No… It's just… she has eyes, so similar to yours… is she your daughter, Naruto?" she looked at me awestruck.

"No! No, really, Sakura-chan, I would tell you if I had a baby!" I scratched the back of my head. Oh how damn much I wished this girl was mine.

"Oh… I hope so! Well, why do you bring it here? You brought her from Oto, didn't you?"

No.

"Yeah…" I lied, knowing that she'll have the truth soon enough, just the matters needed to calm down a bit before more crazy details were revealed. At this I totally agreed with Sasuke, possibly for the first time in my life. So called.

"Why did you bring her, Naruto?"

Should tell her this? I think I should. It's only fair.

"She's Sasuke's."

The silence fell down and lingered there for a longer while, until she finally spoke, eyeing Kyu carefully. "Sasuke-kun… has a child?"

"Yeah," I said quietly, seeing emotions visibly fighting in her eyes.

"How old is she exactly?"

"Four days."

Again, the silence.

"And who is the mother?" Came the question finally. "That girl that came here along with Neji and Hinata, Hoshi?"

"Hoshi? No, no! She was just Orochimaru's servant. I mean…" at first, I thought about saying that it was actually Orochimaru's 'job' that Kyu is here, but not only weren't those nine months since he took Sasuke's body, but laying even deeper in wouldn't be such a great idea. "It had to happen before. The mother died giving birth."

"Oh, I see… I guess it's quite… dangerous to give birth to an Uchiha, she should have very special care…"

"Ne, Sakura-chan, isn't she adorable?" I asked grinning again, I didn't want to see her so sad, but even as she smiled at the baby there was still hurt in her eyes.

She believed he could love her. I remembered clearly her telling me a few times about how he thanked her before he left to Oto, she still thought it could mean something more.

And I guess it did mean more, it meant he acknowledged her as someone more than annoying fangirl, as one of the persons that matter to him. But nothing else.

Thank you is just thank you. It's not I love you. But I never had a heart to tell her this, and now… I don't even know what I could be telling her anymore.

I have slept with him. Once, on my own consent. Does this make me competition for her? Even if I wouldn't like to compete?

But don't I?

I closed my eyes, too much messy thoughts in my head at once. I was glad, I slowly managed to separate everything I've been through with Orochimaru from Sasuke. It wasn't him, he was dead for seven months and that was a fact I wished not only to know, but also feel and consider true. And it was happening.

I know I could ask Sasuke to do something with his Sharingan to make it happen, but I wished to deal with it on my own. That would make me stronger. And ninjas have to be strong. Not only in body, but also in mind. Therefore I did everything to fight my instincts of retreating and avoidance.

There is nothing Uzumaki Naruto can't deal with, dattebayo!

-:-

I wrinkled my nose and threw the used diaper through the window. I sincerely hoped I hit the trash, but I couldn't force myself to go with it downstairs and there take care of it properly.

I sighed, looking at the baby before me and wiped the remnants of milk off its face. Sakura went to the hospital to take care of all the official papers Kyu had to have in Konoha. I was proud of myself that I gave the full name before she left, but on the other hand, Sasuke would probably get mad if I didn't. He seemed to like it.

'Oi, Naruto, I didn't know Kyuubi was girl,' Sakura snickered at me. 'That must have been somewhat confusing to have a woman inhibit your body. Didn't it have some… interesting side-effects?'

I still wonder what side effects she could mean, honestly, but no, I think Kyuubi is rather genderless or a male, although I never really asked him.

I would though now, if he was alive.

"I can't stop to think about that dream, Kyu," I said aloud for a moment wondering why I was talking to six day old infant, but hell, some people talk with animals or even pillows, so I guess I'm not quite as insane. "I mean, Kyuubi was alive again, unsealed. I have no idea why it would be unsealed or what weird reason would it have to work with Akatsuki. And I… I had all my chakra and abilities back. You have no idea how much chakra would be needed to restore them. I wonder if they could give me back what they have taken during the extraction… But when I think of it, I have a feeling that this chakra wasn't Kyuubi's. It was still coming from Sasuke, even if it felt different. But that's not that important, that's nothing bad. He lived, Konan assured me of this and somehow I think she wouldn't lie to me."

I took Kyu and carried her to my bed, swaying her gently in my arms as she tried to mumble some incoherent words. So cute. I think I really like children, but somehow thinking about having one of own feels so… not-going-to-happen.

"What bothers me most is… the thing this dream told me I have killed someone. And I never wished to kill, the fact that I did tells me that something terrible had to happen, something that made me do so…I think it was Itachi, Kyu, but I just cannot understand WHY would I want to kill him. He did wrong in his life and just some time ago I could do so, had I an occasion and need, but now? He helped me rescue Sasuke, he… cares about him, and I know that this is mutual," I stroked her head gently, the hair was getting longer again, last time Sakura saw her she had her head covered.

"There are things that made me wonder about what it is between them, because I know, I know I am missing something. I don't know what, but the way it all so suddenly changed, the way Itachi shows his care for Sasuke… I wish I knew how it all changed."

And why do I have these dreams, why did I have them before, why are they so vivid. I wondered if I could talk to Sasuke about this, maybe he would have some theory, but honestly, that was too stupid, even for me. I laughed lightly, and Kyu laughed back at me.

I looked at her, surprised. And she laughed again.

An Uchiha laughing for the first time in her life.

I wish I had a camera.

-:-

**S: **It's been a long week. Forbidden to meet people I knew, I was constantly facing some masked ANBU, coming and going, asking thousands of futile and meaningless questions. Once a day, Tsunade would come in though, giving me information about Kyu's condition. Regardless of her rather hostile attitude towards me when we met last time, she seemed to have gained some new level of respect towards me, although the case was unknown. Perhaps getting rid of Orochimaru earned me some of her softer side.

I unwrapped the piece of paper the crow brought me through the window the other day. I ran my eyes through it absentmindedly, concentrating more on what was my closes objective that what is indeed written inside. I knew the text very well.

There were troubles on the horizon. Big troubles requiring quite… risky movements. I didn't know just how serious it was, I didn't know what the plan could be, only that I had to watch not only my back now, but also Naruto's and Kyu's, as they all were in some kind of danger.

If I were to move out of here to meet with Itachi, I also not only had to be ware of Konoha guards, but any other being that could see me.

I came to a conclusion that Itachi is a little paranoid, but that could, in the end, be the thing to save us all, and I gladly shared the bits of paranoia this time.

The knock at the door took me out my contemplation, it was late evening of the seventh day of my confinement and I honestly hoped no more ANBU will bug me. I answered all the questions and made enough lies for the genius to get lost in already.

"Come."

"The mere sound of your voice isn't enough, Sasuke-teme," I heard Naruto say as he opened the door with his leg and came inside, carrying Kyu on his arms.

"What are you doing here?"

"Talk about hoping for 'nice to see you'," he grumbled. "I persuaded Tsunade-baa-chan to let me in today, she said your questionings are over anyway, dattebayo. And I brought Kyu with me, I thought you'd like to see her."

I wanted to look emotionless indifferent, but that too-human side of me got better. I came over him and he handed me my daughter, retreating fast backwards with a strange parody of a smile. "Dobe? Something wrong?"

Kyu was breathing and smiling at me, she looked as fine as babies get. Although what caught my attention was something blonde on her head. I scowled and removed the blanket-made hood.

"Naruto…"

"I was thinking that…"

"Don't think. At this rate she'll grow up to be some Dalmatian skinner," I said, but couldn't help but smirk at Naruto's unique… vision.

"What do you mean, eh?" he narrowed his eyes at me in the dobe-like manner.

"Have you never watched cartoons, idiot? You made her look like a miniature version of Cruella De'vil, baka."

"That sounds nasty, but I still have no idea what you're talking about."

I blinked at him a few times. I could understand that some things were different, but even Uchihas knew that story. Then I reminded myself that Naruto indeed had no one, from the day he was born. It was a miracle he didn't starve and had a place to live in, as shabby as it was.

I sighed.

"When Kyu's old enough, you'll be watching those with her," I said and walked back to the couch. Naruto took a seat on the chair at the desk. "Anything happened during this week?"

"I don't know… Baa-chan seemed agitated the last few days, but when I asked her I just earned a harsh slap on my head and she yelled it's not my business. Other than that, it's just, ya know, just your everyday life in Konoha."

"I see. Do you have any business here with me?"

He frowned. "Do I have to have business to come to you?"

"Hn. Whatever, dobe," I said.

**N: **I never knew what should I expect of him. I assumed he'd rather be left alone after all his questionings are over, but after I brought him Kyu I also thought he'd want me to stay and watch over her in case she needed something he couldn't decipher. It was obvious he had lacked maternity instinct which told woman what exactly her child needs at the moment. I was doing it better than him, and the mere fact he didn't argue about keeping her this week but gave her to me told me he agreed.

But then when he asked me about my business I expected him to shush me away, and yet he just grabbed some book laying on the floor and began to read it, petting Kyu's head and allowing her to play with one of his hands. Simply ignoring my presence.

"Aren't you going to show me the door so I don't annoy you?" I asked him.

"You don't annoy me. Just be quiet."

"Bastard! Stop ignoring me, while I'm here."

"Why?" he rose his eyes lazily from over the book. "Do you have anything interesting to say?"

"I don't know."

**S:** "What do you mean, you don't know?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean what I say," he pouted.

"Spit it out, dobe," it was obvious he wanted to say something by the way he didn't want to admit it.

He sighed an leaned his head on arms.

"I had a dream, you know one of those I-can-see-future ones."

That sure as hell picked my interest. "Tell me."

He looked as if still hesitating. "Sasuke, what is the relationship between you and Itachi now?" he asked finally.

I felt my heart still for a moment to begin a wild rush the next moment. "What?"

"What what?"

I studied his eyes for a moment. "Why do you ask, Naruto?"

"Because of this dream," he said, in his eyes I saw some confusion. "Is this really so hard to describe how do you feel about your brother now?" he scowled at me. "Don't make everything difficult, Sasuke-teme!"

I smirked, feeling some burden being lifted off my chest. "Things have changed, have been explained. I don't hate him anymore."

"Not at all? Is there anything that could make you hate him again?"

"No, dobe. I love him," I was surprised how easily those words left my lips when it came to Itachi. "And I am glad that I had a chance to understand things before I did something irreversible. What have you dreamt about, tell me now," I demanded harshly. I didn't like those questions.

He fidgeted with the hem of his trouser-leg for a moment, his gaze falling down.

"I dreamt that I've killed him, Sasuke. And that you said I have kind of avenged your clan. That you are fine with it."

"That is a pure bullshit," I snapped at him harder than I intended. "This dream had to have nothing in common in reality," I tried to sound calmer. "There is nothing that could make me hate him again, wish him dead or make me go back to my wish of revenge. Nothing, Naruto. As long as I have my wits about me. So stop thinking about it."

"I'm sorry, I'm just worried, Sasuke. So many things have happened I would never see possible, and I don't know anymore what's going on at times. I have a feeling that things are far from what they seem, that I don't know about so many things around, plots, intrigues. It scares me. And what scares me the most is that you may again lose your family, your precious person you have regained and learnt to love again. I don't want this to happen… You are my precious person, ya know."

"Why would you tell me that, dobe?" I asked, surprised a bit with his words. It's not like any of us was dying, we were not standing before the final choice of welcome or goodbye like the times he confessed to me before.

No, I was casually laying on the couch, he was sitting in the chair, looking at each other. Resting after all that happened this year. And I had expected him to forget, to stop opening himself before me.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked quietly, watching me with concentrated expression.

"Because I am your rival. Last I remembered, you would rather die than admit I'm better than you and tell me how you feel."

"I didn't say you are better than me, bastard, because you're not. In fact, you're always terrible when it comes to handling ones emotions and you will never beat me in this department."

"Don't try to dare me to, dobe, that won't work."

He huffed. "Well, that's why you suck even more. But to be honest with you, it doesn't come easily to tell you how much I care about you, ya know? Actually it's pretty harsh. But I feel I have to, because I want you to know, to get it through your thick skull that I am here for you and to make you think twice, or thrice, or how many damn times it's necessary, before you do something stupid again."

"I don't act stupid," I said out of habit, but for the first time in my life my own words provoked a raised eyebrow out of me.

I did so much stupid shit in my life, I couldn't begin to count out. And even though I would never admit it, I acknowledged Naruto's superiority in many domains of life. He was the strongest person I knew, he withstood every damn thing life threw at him. While I broke to the point I was saved by miracle.

"Che, bastard."

Great.

He didn't even deem it worth to deny.

I sighed and fixed my position. Kyu had fallen sound asleep by this time, but I didn't feel like putting her away, even though some servant even brought the crib to the room the other day. Her presence had such a calming effect on me.

"So you're going to just stay here now?" I asked Naruto.

He shrugged and stretched his legs before him. "Might as well. It's not like I've anything better to do, so I'll make sure you don't leave Kyu with dirty diapers before going to sleep."

"I can change the diaper, idiot."

"Yeah? So why haven't you so far?"

"Because I have you to do so."

"I don't get you, Sasuke," he said. "I really, really don't get you at times, dattebayo!"

I smirked at him.

He annoyed me so much, almost all the time. But still I wanted him to stay. Because lack of this constant annoyance annoyed me even more.

I think I really have the masochist fetish. Just like Orochimaru told me.

-:-

I went to sleep a few hours later. Naruto just spent this time sitting around, going through some books, searching for pictures as he said, and later playing with Kyu. He insisted on staying in the room, and I had no power to argue with him. Those damn ANBU still seemed too afraid to face me with their questions just like that, even though I guaranteed I wish them no harm this time. Not only my eyes were always bound, but they had to give me some sedating pills which were making me drowsy for incoming hours.

One could call them cautious, I called them cowards.

I opened my eyes. It was night, not the slightest trace of incoming sun in the black sky. I sighed. Falling asleep again wouldn't be so easy. I hated waking up in the middle of the night.

"Naruto?" I said, wondering if he still was sitting in the room. Getting no response, I forced my body up the bed. Out of habit, I closed my Orochimaru-made eye, enjoying the night for what she was supposed to be.

I sighed once again seeing Naruto asleep, despite his assuring words before I laid on the bed. I stood up, walking over the idiot asleep with his head on the desk, looking as if he were to drool all over the place. Beside him in the crib slept Kyu, covered tightly in the blanket.

Orange blanket, as I just noticed.

I shook my head, that moron was obviously beginning another rivalry. But this time I was about to compete for my own daughter.

No way in hell.

I walked over to the closet and pulled out an indigo blanket, a bit too big for her, but I didn't give a damn. I picked her up, silencing her with my hand as she woke up. I didn't need Naruto to wake up just yet.

I changed the awful orange piece of wool with the one I liked and kneeled beside the crib, lulling Kyu back to sleep. I still felt a little hazy, and making everything in such silence gave me an impression of floating, for some reason.

When she finally fell happily back asleep, I pulled some additional blankets and put them on a couch. The night was cold and as I looked at Naruto he was shivering already. For a brief moment, I considered waking him up, but he would just refuse to go sleep then, and he needed his rest now as much as anyone else. I made sure my muscles are awake enough and picked him up, carrying him to the couch. I always said that he is fatal material for a ninja at some aspects. Enemy could just carry him out of the camp and he wouldn't notice shit.

And yet I surprised myself as I laid him on the couch, way gentler than it was needed.

But when I wanted to let go of him and cover him, suddenly a hand latched to my shirt. His body trembled viciously.

"No…" he whispered. "Please, no."

"Naruto, it's me, Sasuke. Calm down," I said to him, but if anything, his grip tightened and he pulled me a bit down, his other hand grabbing my hair. I hissed. "Naruto, let go."

"No, please don't go… Don't go…" he pulled harsher and I fell on my knees before the couch. "Sasuke…"

"Yes, it's me Naruto, now let go of my hair," he was still deep asleep, but I knew that sometimes reality could barge into the dreamland and manifest itself in some kind of understandable form.

But this time I wasn't lucky. Not only did he not let me go, but more violent trembles began to shake his body.

"Please don't… if you go he'll be back, don't leave me to him again… don't."

I didn't have to ask who. I didn't have to ask anything more. I picked him up and carried him to the bed. Laying down, I pried his hand off my hair, replacing them with my fingers, to which he clang to, as if fighting for his life.I crawled into the bed beside him and covered him with a quilt. He moved, snuggling closer to me, lifting it and pulling it over me as well, yearning for the heat I could give him.

I laid there stiffly, it was too awkward for me. I saw all the memories of Orochimaru, but I've never felt those I got during the last fight, it was like watching a movie, or reading a book. So different, so not mine. I've never felt Naruto asleep beside me, never shared the bed with sans onetime, when I wasn't at my wits either.

I wanted to move away, but I knew he needed me here. His nails dug into my forearm, clutching it, making sure I won't take it from him. Few more incoherent mumbles left his lips, but I couldn't distinguish separate words. My inner avenger was raging mad, I knew already that desire of revenge could sometimes not be satiated even if fulfilled.

I wished Orochimaru was alive, I really did. Because then I could kill him again, torture him again for all he did to Naruto. I took a few deep breaths. Angry brooding was the last thing I needed into mix at that time.

"He won't be back," I whispered to the one on my side. 'And no one will ever hurt you again.' I knew about the villagers attitude towards him, now I also knew from where it was coming. And if someone dared as much as look at him wryly I knew he would get his share of not-so-pleasant-looks.

Just that my look actually could kill if I tried hard enough.

I didn't know how long it took until the nightmare passed and Naruto calmed down. His fingers haven't relinquish their grip, but by that time my arm has gone numb enough not to notice it anymore. Sleep was slowly taking over me as my mind came to terms with my current situation. I just hoped Kyu wouldn't pick time to wake up and demand food or a diaper change.

I really had to get some more sleep.

-:-

**N:** I woke up in the morning, feeling warm and rested. Again. I knew that somehow Sasuke's close presence was able to chase my nightmares away. Fragile remnants of dreams of this night told me the nightmare came, but then it was gone, taken by my dream Sasuke.

I didn't even want to fall asleep yesterday, but the peace and serenity made me so drowsy I just drifted away at some point.

But honestly, I didn't remember getting into bed I was in.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes, Sasuke was sitting on the windowsill, cleaning his forearm with white cloth.

"Oi, bastard, what are you doing?" I asked him, noticing the red tinge on it.

"Nothing. Hurt myself while asleep."

"Again?"

"Hn."

I narrowed my eyes at him and then I noticed the blood covering my nails as well. "Sasuke."

"What?" he threw me light annoyed glare.

"I did it, didn't I?"

"Hn. Doesn't matter."

"Yes it matters, bastard! Tell me what happened!"

"Idiot, you scratched me, I'm cleaning it not to get some germs so stop dramatizing already, go buy yourself some ramen."

"Gods, you are grumpy in the morning…" I muttered. I scratched him? I had to have one of those more brutal nightmares then. I remember waking once my hands full of shredded sheets. I guess whatever the reason he had to come near me in the night he wished not to discuss it. He had to be the one to put me into bed. Knowing him, he was probably afraid to give me any indication that he cares and when one was so obvious he would do anything to deny it.

That thought warmed my heart and I smiled to myself. Maybe I was deluding myself, maybe he had different reason to do any of these things, but… as long as I could believe I'm right, I wanted to keep that feeling. "I'm sorry anyways," I added.

"Don't be a moron. You've got me worse on several occasions."

"If you punched me in the face right there and then I wouldn't be sorrying now!" I grinned at him.

"Hn," was the only thing I've heard even though he mumbled something else under his breath.

I sighed and picked myself up.

Another day of freedom was right before me. Would be such a waste to lose it.

-:-

**General POV**

Uchihas don't go for whores. Wasn't that always an unwritten rule when their clan was still… well was? Honestly, Itachi knew he could, sooner or later and in most cases sooner, have every girl he wished for. And yet that particular night he found himself at one of the tables in nothing else but a brothel with quite annoying waitress trying to put a bit of this and that as close to him as she could.

"Sake," he ordered briefly in hopes of woman moving to do her real job. Or at least go and molest other more willing customers.

But just as he thought he'd have a moment to gather up his thoughts, he was given another reason why he should have never shown up in such place. Woman poured him the drink, but didn't look as if wishing to leave anytime soon, helping herself to some of the alcohol as well, trying to look as tempting as she could.

Too bad Itachi was never into blondes.

He never really wondered about his sexual preferences, he didn't have time, but recently he decided if anything, he has a weakness for black hair.

Next time he made his point clear enough for even stupidest worker to get it and shooed the pest away.

Only when it came to making actual business did he turn his attention to the woman next to him. Contrary to the other works she wore a decent dress and tame make-up.

"You do realize that virgins have additional price?" she asked him, hearing the customer.

Itachi nodded. Money was not a problem.

"Very well, please follow me now."

He stood up and went after the woman, feeling jealous stares boring holes in his back.

He couldn't help but smirk at their eagerness. Yes, one could sin for an Uchiha.

-:-

No regrets, no wavering. He looked at two girls laying on the bed, knocked out by a genjutsu. To be honest with himself, he did expect at least a tiny tinge of conscience biting him for what he had to do, but nothing came. Obviously, in the end it was really gone. It only seemed to wake at one condition – his little brother was concerned.

He sighed and picked both girls up. That should suffice.

And then in a puff of smoke he was gone.

-:-

**A/N:** I hope this chapter wasn't too boring, I know it was basically all talk no action, but, meh, had to do such I'm afraid. And still have my writers block and it's most likely obvious in how harsh some parts seem. I have to get rid of it. Review, please!


	39. Fixing

**A/N:** Thanks a lot to my beta, JadeOokami for her job :) And to you, readers. Standard warning applies. It goes well with the plot.

**-Chapter Thirty Nine-**

_-Fixing-_

**Naruto/Sasuke's POV**

**N: **"Oi, Kakashi-sensei, why do you keep glaring at me like that?" Sakura asked, throwing our sensei an incredulous look. We were out for lunch together, the whole Team 7, or Team Kakashi, or whatever we were now. Getting Sasuke to tag along had been quite difficult, but in the end he bent to it and, taking the seat furthest away, at the table concentrated on his food, just from time to time glaring at people around, especially Sai.

He definitely didn't like the 'replacement' idea, especially since Sai, no matter how hard they both would like to deny it, had some features that made them somehow similar.

I played a little with some barbeque. They were all against going to Ichiraku, bunch of bastards, so we ended up in Chouji's favourite place.

"Stop calling me sensei, for gods' sake, Sakura!" Kakashi sent her an even harder glare and I saw Sasuke raising his eyebrow at the two of his ex-teammates in unspoken question.

Che, finally something caught his attention.

"It doesn't work," she mumbled. "You'll be my sensei forever."

Kakashi sighed heavily and rubbed his temples in surprisingly Tsunade-like manner.

Something was definitely off in him today, and now I wanted to know what it was.

Sasuke smirked and got back to his eating. He threw me a I-know-something-you-don't-moron-ha-ha face and evaded the glower I sent him by putting his whole attention to the plate.

"He's been acting weirdly for a few days already," I heard the hushed whisper coming from Sai.

"I can hear you, Sai," Kakashi said.

Sai flashed him his artificial smile and then glanced at me and waited till Kakashi busied himself with something else and leaned again. "Why? I don't get any of it, there was no such sudden change of acting described in the books I've read about emotions."

"That's probably because it's Kakashi-sensei," I snickered. "He's unbookable."

"Or you're an idiot, Sasuke doesn't seem confused."

"Sai!" I hissed at him and pouted. "He never looks confused. That's why."

My teammate just smiled at me and pushed his dish towards me. "Help yourself, I'm full."

Who was I to refuse?

**S: **It felt so awkward to sit there with them all at the same place. At first, I could hardly take my eyes of the man called Yamato, and Sai, my replacement. The team has changed so much since my genin days. Something deep within me was rebelling, like I wished for it to stay the same as always, never change even a tiny bit. To have some stable thing in my life.

Funny, how that's exactly what I've tried to avoid at all cost not so long ago.

Since I came back to Konoha, I didn't go out much, even after I was allowed to. Naruto came to me every day, usually with Sakura tagging along, trying to get me outside, but I refused. I wasn't yet ready to face the place I used to call home after everything that happened. I was hardly managing to face myself at this time. Only in the early mornings I went out to purchase some things I needed, at sometimes evening or night was an opportunity to take a walk.

A week ago, Tsunade allowed me back into my mansion as well. It was almost livable by now. I had to clean it up and get it back to shape if I were to stay there for longer. Messes was something I didn't handle too well.

Soon the lunch was done and Naruto insisted on me tagging along him and Sai for a "get to know each other" walk. I let him have this his way for once, since it mattered to him. It was only when the sun began to set down when I excused myself from their company and went in search for Kakashi.

I tracked him to near the bathhouse, which was, in itself, suspicious. Taking into account the fact that he wasn't the one bathing.

Rather peeking.

I scowled.

No way Kakashi would fall as low as this teacher of Naruto's he told me about quite a lot recently. Or could he?

Since I had pretty much an idea about what's going on, I gave up on calling up to him, and only when I crouched beside him I whispered "Kakashi," ripping him out of his thoughts.

He blinked at me. "I wasn't… Fine," he stood up. I was amused how easily he admitted his defeat.

"Have you gone out of your mind? She would freak out if she knew, Kakashi."

"That's why she doesn't and I hope it will stay that way."

I smirked, we walked away from his spying point to the training grounds. I knew as well as he that there was much to talk about. I was no longer denying my bonds, the fact that there were people who matter to me and that Kakashi is one of them.

You can't just forget someone who means what he does to me.

We sat in silence for a moment under the memorable pale, where our first test took place. The man beside me highly valued his memories and couldn't understand him better. Sometimes, they were all we had left. Sometimes they could become all we will have left. Memories are who we are, while taken producing a completely different person.

Who would I be if I was struck by amnesia? Would I even resemble myself in the least?

I hope I'll never know.

I turned to Kakashi and saw a smile on his lips.

"So… why Sakura?" I asked him, smirking.

He glanced at me and swiftly diverted his gaze, shrugging. "How long can it be just you, Icha Icha, and your hand?"

I guess I could have expected such an answer from him. "But why her?"

His eye closed as he lowered his head, thinking of what he should say. "She's special to me. I am NOT her sensei anymore, even though she still insists on calling me that name," there was uneasiness in his voice, even though his words tried to be definite.

"I'm the last to judge you, Kakashi," I said. "I've done a lot worse myself," I added seeing his raised eyebrow.

At my words his visible eye narrowed in concern. "Sasuke?"

"It's alright. It was my… initiative," I said. "It's good."

"What have been happening all this time? Since Naruto… died? I guess I know so much less than there is to it all."

I nodded. "Everything's changed. Some things shouldn't be mentioned though."

"But you will tell me, won't you?" he asked, and if I thought it's pure curiosity I might have refused. But I knew that getting some burden of my chest would make me lighter. I needn't voice all the things and deeds, Kakashi himself was a genius, and sometimes a mere look as a reaction to one word could tell him the whole story.

And most important of all, I knew he wouldn't judge me. No matter what I did, no matter what I would do, he wouldn't tell me I did wrong if wrong was all it was. We were too similar to each other to judge one another, yet both judged ourselves to the point it hurt.

He would understand everything.

I faced him and began the story, from the very beginning to the very end, hiding only those details, he surely could use imagination for.

-:-

Midnight was nearing when I bid Kakashi farewell and headed to my house. It's been a long talk, but sometimes we just enjoyed the silence. It was always like that with him, and I appreciated that. Contrary to the dobe, we both knew that it's important to think before we speak. But maybe that was another feature of Naruto that made me actually enjoy his company. I always thrived to be better, and with his reckless speech I could dominate him mentally, even if I knew that it's often just because of a rush.

Speaking of which, what was he doing in my bed?

I stopped in the threshold to my bedroom and looked at the bed on which, doubtlessly, laid the dobe himself, cuddling my pillow and buried deep under my quill.

"Naruto?" I asked, trying to figure out what the hell was he doing here now.

No reaction, of course. I didn't want to startle him, so I tried calling once more before shaking the sleep out of him.

This time he woke up.

"Wha? What?"

"Dobe, what are you doing in here?" I asked him, not even annoyed, rather curious.

His sleep-hazed eyes focused on me and I saw a blush creeping up his face.

"I-I'm sorry, ehehe," he grinned and habitually rubbed his head. "I mean… Uh, I'll be going now."

"Stay," I said. "And tell me why are you here."

I had to know, it wasn't a dobe-like thing to do. I was blocking the door anyway, and since the window was closed I would manage to catch him before he escape, should I wish so.

"I thought you will spend the night talking with Kakashi… so I thought… I mean… Damn," he smacked his forehead. "I've been having these nightmares again, alright? I don't know why, but your presence calms them down, so I came here and in your bed I finally could fall asleep. Maybe your smell calms me down, maybe the fact that this means you're near, I don't know, Sasuke. But that's why I'm here…" he said getting up. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I need to talk to you anyway," I said. "Wait now, dobe, since you're already here."

"Heh, 'kay, bastard," he said, plopping back down.

I washed myself and changed into night clothes before coming back to him.

**N: **I found it hard to take my eyes off him when he came out of the bathroom wearing a black robe. His wet hair hasn't spiked yet, falling lightly on his shoulders and face, dripping with water drops. I have noticed how he usually kept his silver eye closed, be it day or night, opening it only when he tried to find something in the darkness.

I wondered why he does it, be it disgust towards everything Orochimaru or just convenience. I loved it most when he activated his Sharingan, when both eyes were his, Sasuke-like, not tainted by that snake. Sharingan was special, whatever was the case or mechanics, the most amazing this was that when Orochimaru possessed his body, the pattern of black lines and dots differed from the one that belonged to Sasuke.

"That's illogical, Naruto," he told me, coming closer and I moved back to the bedpost giving him place to sit.

Not that he wouldn't fit on the huge bed, but I did it anyway. I kinda envied him and all his stuff. Sure, money don't make people happy, but it may give lots of joy and comfort. I always wanted to have a king sized bed on which I could just flow all my limps around and enjoy the sleep. I smiled lightly at the thought.

"What's illogical?" I asked him.

"You."

"Me?"

"You," he sat down and leaned on one of the canopy pillars. "Your nightmares are connected to me."

"Not you. Orochimaru," I wrinkled my nose. "Stop impersonalizing yourself with him," I was surprised myself, that I was woken up in the middle of the night I managed a word that long. I spent too much time with geniuses of various types. Yep, that must be it.

"Fine. With this body," he corrected. "Don't say they are not, because they are. That's why I don't understand why do you so crave my presence you trespassed into my house to sleep in my bed, idiot. You should feel at ease as far away from me you can get."

I felt I blush a little as he stated so bluntly what I did.

"Logic can fail," I muttered. "Especially when it comes to emotions."

"Which emotions?" he quirked one eyebrow at me. I just realized how I loved when he did that. If that depended on me, I would immobilize it that way permanently.

"It's because you are too much more for me for it to really matter…" I mumbled half-wishing he wouldn't hear it at all.

**S:** "What? Dobe, talk to me, not my pillow," I said reaching for the pillow he was hugging and obviously deemed a participant in the conversation.

"I said that you are something beyond all that for me, okay? And it doesn't matter, I just need to be near you," his eyes pierced me as if he dared me to say something to contradict his words.

I could see how much it actually took for him to pour his heart out before me, even if those were only a few words. He probably expected me to mock him in some way, maybe he was even afraid I will. There was a moment of silence, before I spoke again.

"Hn, your place is a mess."

"What? Where did that come from?" he asked bemused. "You have cobwebs around your closet, and I have not pointed those out," he pouted.

Cobwebs? I was sure I cleaned all of those. I frowned.

"Dobe, I wasn't about to bash your living conditions, even if they deserve that. I was about to say you can move in here. Adjacent room is just as big as this one, I was using it as a food storage area for now, but we can empty it for you."

"Move in?" his eyes widened. "Like, for good?"

"Yes, Usuratonkachi, for good. You would sell your apartment and live here."

"Where's the catch, Teme? You wouldn't offer sharing your things with mm just like that, dattebayo," the pout came back to his face as he scrutinized me from narrowed eyes.

"It would be easier to pull off, and you could come to my bed more often without curious eyes around."

Just when I said it, I realized how it sounded and Naruto's growing blush confirmed by word-clumsiness.

"You know what I meant, dobe, I may be out of the house more often and you…"

"I don't mind you being in the house," he cut me off. "I don't mind your presence at all Sasuke."

"I know, I meant…"

"I don't mind that either."

I blinked at him. "Why won't you let me finish?"

"Because I know what you're going to say."

I snorted and glared at him. "When did you become a smartass?"

"Look who's talking, tebayo!"

"I've been one since I can remember," I smirked. "So what will be then, dobe?"

"I want," he lowered his gaze, eyes stuck on the pillow again as he muttered his wish.

"Well then, welcome home," I said.

**N:** 'Welcome home.'

I have never before heard such words spoken, and call me silly, but they flooded me with warmth. All I ever had was a house, a roof over my head, a place I could never call HOME. I smiled at the bastard who just made himself comfortable under the covers and closed his eyes to sleep.

"I'll come tomorrow morning then, bastard," I said.

"Hn. It is almost morning already. Stay here, moron."

"'Kay, I'll go look for some bed then," I grinned.

"Hn."

I left him and I could give my head he was asleep the moment the door was closed.

It didn't take long before I began to regret going out into the complex by the night. All lights, sans kitchen, bathroom and Sasuke's bedroom were broken, I noticed some lamps were literally crushed, leaving only stumps of what they used to be like. Room-doors were mostly closed by key. I found only a few of them left open, but these were empty inside.

I wandered around for a while before I found my way back to the general area of Sasuke's living place. One door caught my attention. It looked as if someone tried to burn it down, and failed. Although the lock was destroyed. I pushed the door open and gazed inside. In the moonlight I saw the complete destruction, what once could be a beautiful room.

It was obvious who it belonged to. Over the bedpost katana was stuck into the wall, when I came closer I noticed trails of blood covering the blade. It was sheathed deep into the surface. Someone had to have thrown it with great force.

"Naruto," I heard Sasuke's voice calling me. "I thought you got lost."

I turned to him, fully expecting him to be angry for my coming in here, but he only looked at me with a sleepy gaze.

"I kinda did, but found my way back. There are no beds in the entire house, tebayo!"

I threw a short glance on Itachi's bed, trashed in half with dust instead of bed sheets.

"You said it doesn't matter if I'm there yourself, so why would look for others?"

"I thought it matters to you."

"It doesn't. Come."

I nodded and followed him back to his bedroom.

"In exchange for living here you'll have to help me with cleaning," he said. "You saw for yourself. Itachi's room is a mess, I want it gone. Other rooms are a little less disastrous, but far from being acceptable."

"Sure thing. You do have some temper, don't you?" I laughed at him.

He glared at me and 'hn'ed.

Sasuke was always pedantic, he was even disturbed by the mess in mission-tents while in the middle of freaking forests. He could be throwing all the leaves and grass blades away when he thought no one's looking. It had to really bother him that his own mansion is in such condition, but painful memories wouldn't allow him to clean it up.

But now it was different. He no longer desired revenge, and he had his brother back. He no longer felt betrayed by the one he valued the most. And the mess came into view again.

In his bedroom he looked at me.

"These seals you've got… we should get rid of them."

"Which seals?" I asked surprised by his sudden statement.

"The one that allows me to control you, it's not needed and I don't want to feel tempted to use it."

'Power craving bastard.'

"And the other one, the one that binds you to this bodily form and makes you hunt ninjas in forests. It's…"

"Wrong."

"I'd rather say inconvenient. You should be able to choose whether you wish to hunt or not, not to mention how useful you may be in your ghostly state."

"That would mean going to where we started, ne, Sasuke?"

"Kind of. You still have Samehade to sustain your form should you need it, and if used properly even allow you some minor fighting."

"Minor," I huffed. "I am useless as a ninja like this."

"Like this yes, but not like a ghost. You are always able to communicate with me."

"Yup, I am, but I cannot use Samehade once I run off of chakra enough to disappear again."

He sighed and sat on the bed. "You'll be using my chakra for this, I thought it's rather obvious."

"So basically you want to make me a parasite again," I pouted.

"If you like to call it so, then yes," he smirked. "It's healthier."

"Healthier?" I asked, confused. "What do you mean, healthy? I'm dead already, it's not like it can get worse."

He snorted. "Two persons involved, idiot."

I blinked at him. "Wait, it's harming you?"

"Yes. This seal breaks the connection between us, yet part of my life essence is still within you. Having it blocked away the way it is now, takes a painful toll on me. Imagine having your hand crushed by a rock, it's still a part of your body, but even your blood cannot flow there."

"Why didn't you tell anyone before? And why did Orochimaru risk such a thing?"

"I didn't, because I knew of no way to fix this before. And I think Orochimaru knew neither, he wasn't even fully aware of what was wrong with him."

"Oh, how are you going to do this?"

"We'll talk tomorrow, dobe. I'm tired and you should get your rest as well."

'As long as you keep my nightmares away'. I slammed my mouth shut mentally before I let such a corny line out.

When I lied beside him, my head was a mess. What was really going on? I wish I knew. Everything was happening so fast suddenly, and I couldn't fully believe it finally took the right turn. I looked at Sasuke, he was gazing into the ceiling mindlessly, and if I had any money, I would pay for his thoughts.

"Thanks, Sasuke," I whispered. "For everything."

"Hn," his eyelids fell down and I could feel his chakra steadying, as he slowly fell asleep.

-:-

_I awoke to the feeling of pain shooting through my body. It wasn't reality though, I could see and feel it was another one of these weird dreams, but not the ones to show me the future. I gasped silently as another wave filled me and I bit down on my lower lip not to let out any sound._

_I didn't want to wake him up._

_Who didn't I want awake, I couldn't tell, these dreams were only dreams, after all._

_I laid in wait for the pain to pass, I felt I had to do something. I knew it wasn't the first strike, and that they would grow in power, until they would become excruciating._

_I couldn't show weakness._

_I could never show any weakness. Not to him. To the one I wished not to wake._

_Yet again, something in the back of my mind whispered to me, that these are not purely my thoughts, that my mind isn't that mine in the reveries anymore. But that awareness passed quickly, like it always did._

_The pain was gone, and a black void flickered before my eyes._

_The next moment my eyesight was back, I was stumbling down the corridor, leaning heavily on the wall and panting harshly, hand squeezing my chest where the pain had its origin._

_It wasn't dangerous, not that dangerous to worry, I knew. I just had to… ease it a bit. Ease it enough to be able to bear it._

_I hissed viciously when I forced myself to move, I had to get to the kitchen to drink something. Water always helped me, but the pain was never that bad before. I doubted I had felt one so tough for a long time._

_Suddenly my legs bent under my weight and I fell on the ground, hardly keeping my yell of surprise and pain hidden._

-:-

I shot up on the bed, hearing a sound of crashing glass and a shout.

"Sasuke!" I bolted out of the room, not thinking much as I headed towards the kitchen.

He was laying on the floor, his body covered with bits of glass, bleeding from several wounds, laying on tops of heap of broken glasses. The shelf fell down behind him, he didn't seem to notice me at all. I pushed the pieces away and kneeled beside him, lifting his body from the cutting mess.

"Sasuke!" I shook him lightly, his eyes were clenched shut, face expressing the pain he felt.

I quickly removed all the bigger pieces of glass I noticed in his body and carried him away from the place.

"Naruto?" he whispered as his eyes appeared in slits.

"Sasuke, what the hell happened to you?" I asked, full of concern.

"Nothing… nothing, dobe it will pass. Go sleep."

"You kidding me, bastard?" I looked at him incredulously. "Wait here," I said and put him gently on the ground. Not that he was in any condition to go anywhere.

I ran to the fridge and brought him back a bottle of cold water. Lifting his head, I helped him to drink. "Here."

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, wincing lightly, but it seemed that the worst pain has passed, at least for that moment.

"You've made quite a noise here," I laughed lightly, but I knew it was more to comfort myself than from any amusement. "Not to mention I just had an unnerving dream."

"Dream?" he asked, his mismatched eyes meeting mine. "What dream?"

I grabbed some clean piece of cloth from the closet beside me and began wetting it to clean his wounds. They weren't deep, nothing to worry about. The pain he had was what mattered. I felt his body relaxing under my touch, his head falling lightly on my lap, his arm laying limply over my leg.

He wasn't fully conscious, otherwise he would never allow such a thing, I guess.

"Just a dream, you know, nothing about the future, more like… present, as I see. I was you."

"A present? Have you ever had such dreams before? They could have something to do with our connection… I haven't felt such pain before, it might have triggered something to merge with your dreams…" he muttered, his eyes oddly hazed. "Don't worry already about the pain, it will pass as soon as your seals are removed. And stop shaking, it's annoying, dobe."

I grinned. Even in such situation he had to throw some bitter piece for me.

"The interesting thing is how deep we are bound by that technique of Kyuubi's. Have you ever had such dreams before, Naruto? Feeling like this one?"

"I…"

And then it hit me. Oh fuck.

-:-

**General POV**

Upon entering the room, the girl took off her hood and readjusted her glasses. Her cloak was dripping wet and she cursed the weather under her breath. It was just a nail in her coffin this day.

Her companions turned their heads towards her. Juugo, sitting on the windowsill, knew immediately the news she brought were in the least unsatisfying, he could sense the air of anxiety around her. But Suigetsu just shot her a mocking look.

"What? No interesting news on your love?" he snorted. "Get over it already, Karin. There are more interesting things to do with our lives."

She wrinkled her nose at him. "Like? Visiting brothels in every city or trying to find some god forgotten swords? Very interesting indeed."

"Stop it before you start," Juugo said, jumping down. "What have you learnt, Karin?"

"Uchiha Itachi is still alive, more so, he and one other from the Akatsuki managed to capture another Jinchuuriki, one with eight tails," she neared the table and poured herself some fresh, steaming tea from the pot. "I still have no news about Sasuke though. I'm worried they have fought and he lost."

"Well, maybe it would spare us some time and nerves if you didn't insist on leaving Sound as soon as your little boyfriend was taken by Orochimaru."

Karin shot Suigetsu a killing glare. "Watch your words," she snarled. "I didn't want to see Sasuke in such a predicament. I knew he would get free as soon as it fitted him."

"How would you know such a thing?"

"I just did, alright? Shut up, I'm not talking to you," she sat beside Juugo on the big cushion on the floor.

"Honestly, girl," Suigetsu didn't share her will though. It's been a week since they moved last time and he was going nuts from sitting in this place. At least it rained the majority of the time. "I thought you're all about his body, so what the hell is the difference if it was Orochimaru in or Sasuke himself?"

Karin scowled. "Shut the fuck up."

"But I just…"

"Shut. The fuck. Up." She ground her teeth.

True, maybe she found Sasuke attractive. Well VERY attractive. But that was not all. She held great respect to him as a person and Orochimaru possessing his body she deemed as a disgrace she wished not to witness.

"I'm going to sleep," she said, moving to her own futon and covering herself with a blanket, giving the ultimate 'I'm not arguing this now,' to the pissed off male.

-:-

A feeling of a stranger's presence in their shared room brought Karin back to reality. She sat up and pulled out a kunai. Her senses screamed in her head of powerful presence.

Windowsill.

She spotted a dark figure sitting nonchalantly with one leg swinging back and forth.

"Who the hell are you?" she asked, getting into discreet fighting stance.

"Not your enemy," the man said and just then he opened his eyes revealing two Sharingan orbs.

She whispered first name that came to her mind. "Sasuke?"

"No, not really," came the simple reply. "I come with business all three of you may deem worthwhile."

-:-

"No wonder Deidara's still fucking hitting on you, thinking you may fucking swing like he does," Hidan laughed, looking at Itachi, who leaned nonchalantly on the wall. "Not many fucking straight men are able to visit the whorehouse and carry two naked whores without as much as fucking touching them."

Itachi shrugged. "I said I don't do whores. That was no temptation. I hope that will be enough for your efforts though."

"Fuck it will. But do you realize what shit you're getting yourself into? It's fucking Kyuubi you just wished to unseal. Holy fucking shit, man, you are NOT fucking normal."

Itachi smirked. "I'll manage. I won't do that alone, anyway. Tell me better if you know how to do this and when will you, if you don't."

"It will take some fucking time, this son of a bitch made the seal complicated. But it'll be doable. I'll let you know when I'm done, now get the fuck out, I have to pray."

Uchiha sighed. He just hoped there was no major loopholes in their plan, or else they would all be screwed real good.

-:-

**Sasuke/Naruto's POV**

**N: **"Wake up, Usuratonkachi," somebody, namely Sasuke, shook my shoulder harshly.

"Whaaa?" I opened my eyes, trying to locate myself.

"I said: wake up," the quill was jerked off me roughly and I quivered at chill air.

Well, it wasn't exactly chill, but when denied the warmer cover it sure seemed like it was chilly.

"Sasukeee!" I wailed and sat up, trying to grab the quill back, but he kept it away from my reach. "It's like…" I looked at the window. "It's like, just dawn!"

"Tch, like you've never woken at such a time. We have things to take care of."

"Well, excuse me I didn't sleep much last night!" I pouted.

"I didn't ask you to watch me, I fainted anyway," he muttered.

"Well, I wouldn't stay up almost the entire night if you didn't ask stupid questions!"

"What stupid questions, moron?"

"None of your business."

Actually, all his business but that was not the point. I crossed my arms over my chest and threw him a glare.

"Then why do you blame ME if that's none of my business?"

"Just… just forget I said anything, alright?"

"Idiot."

"Bastard."

"You haven't changed a bit, and yet I thought you got wiser lately."

"Well, same about you!" I stood up to reach his eye-level, as close to it I could get anyway.

"Give me the papers of house possession. I'm going to sell it, they would probably just screw you over being who you are AND being officially dead. It's a miracle you still have them anyway."

I huffed at him. "This is so unfair, bastard. Not only am I deemed Kyuubi's vessel, now I'm also deemed dead! And you are just pointing it out any occasion you've got, aren't you?"

"Yes I am. I'm a sadist, bear with it. Now get your ass moving, bring me the papers and start bringing your junk in here. Then, while I'm getting the business done, I want you to take Kyu to her special check-up on the bloodline, Sakura is the one to do this. Kakashi should already have talked with her so she would know who the mother is and how to run the thing."

"'Kay, 'kay, just stop glaring at me already, dattebayo! What the hell have I done!?"

"Being the annoying loudmouth you are."

I stuck my tongue at him, and, putting my shoes on, jumped through the window heading towards my house.

I was glad Sasuke was in hurry to get it done. If I waited, I could get scared of the changes and take back the decision of moving in with him. And I didn't want to. Even though all he basically did was yell at me or mock me, I doubt there was anything that could make me feel more at home.

-:-

**S: **All the business was easy to do, I turned dobe's house back to the village and got the money it was worth. It turned out he managed to move all his stuff out quickly enough, that when the inspection came it was ready to hand over the keys.

When I came back home, I noticed Naruto sitting on the (one of the few still sitable) armchairs with Kyu in his arms. But what he was lacking was that ever-present smile, that appeared on his face whenever he could just spend time with her.

"Oi, dobe," I greeted him putting the briefcase on the stool. "How did it go? Everything's fine with her?" I had to admit I felt a tinge of apprehension. If something was wrong with her.

No, she had to be fine. I kneeled beside them and stroked the little head.

"I don't know. They wouldn't let me bring her to the check-up. It's special and they said only her family can take her."

I don't think I have EVER heard Naruto so bitter. I met his eyes and couldn't miss the sorrow he seemed to try to hide.

"I'll take her. I'm sure she's fine," I said and he handed me my baby without a word.

I wanted to get it done, before it was too late for Sakura to work.

The most surprising thing that day was that when I came back there was a dinner waiting for me. And it was NOT ramen.

**N:** "What the hell happened to you?" Sasuke asked sitting beside the table. "It's not instant ramen."

"I know. You don't really like instant ramen, I guess. You had none in your storage room."

"I don't even dare to hope it will stay that way."

I grinned. "That's rather obvious. I hope you like this though," I pointed at his plate. I did my best, but I have never been particularly gifted when it came to kitchen business.

"Hn," he said and tasted a bite.

I watched him carefully, waiting for any reaction and what I got was a smirk.

"Who could tell such a dobe could actually cook."

"You like it?"

"Hn. Why have you done this? It looks like it took some time and effort," he dug in the plate with a chopstick.

"Well, I had some time and nothing to do," I shrugged and took some of the meal for myself.

It was a big fat lie, and I knew it. But how could I tell him that moving in means so damn much to me? That it feels like… we're almost family now. That all I wish is to make him as much my family as it's possible. Eating meals together, watching movies, or heck, reading in one room. All those things people living together do, all those things I never had someone to do them with.

Sasuke was not always a loner. He became one. And maybe that process could be reversed, maybe if he also tasted some warmth I could offer him, maybe then he would once again allow somebody to get closer to him.

In the right way.

**S: **I was in quite in awe at Naruto's cooking skills. The food was delicious, I could hardly remember when was the last time I'd eaten something good like this. But it was blatantly obvious he made it especially for me, there were things in the room he'd like more, but he picked all of my favourites.

I appreciated it. Not that I would ever admit I did.

But what buggered me the entire time was the sadness that hasn't passed at all.

"Naruto," I finally spoke to him after the long time of silence. Way too long for Naruto's company. "What happened today?"

"Eh?" he raised his eyes at me, once again amazing me with their blue hue. "What could happen today?" He grinned.

"Don't you try to fool me with this grin, dobe, I know you for a bit too long and a bit too well to fall for this. What happened?"

He sighed, giving up easily. He wanted somebody's attention, he just wouldn't admit it. And most of all, he wanted mine.

"It's just… ever since that vision, you know, the one we saw the future with Kyu… I felt differently for her. Not only as if she was your child, but also… as if in some part she was mine. That alternate part, I KNOW it sounds silly, but that's it," he paused for a while and I gave him his time. "I doubt I will ever have my own children."

"Why?" I tilted my head to the side.

He mumbled something to himself and shook his head 'no'. "It doesn't matter. Kyu is special for me, and it's just that when they told me so blatantly that absolutely nothing connects me to her… it hurt. But I'll be fine, it just always hurts when you're jerked out of some reverie of yours, ya know. Just like it was with becoming Hokage and all. But my most important dream came true, and I'm happy," his eyes sparkled lightly when he looked at me.

Me. His most important dream.

I walked over to the case and took out two sheets of paper and the pen. I handed them to Naruto.

"What is it?" he asked taking the items.

"It's official adoption paper, Naruto. It will give you all the rights to Kyu I myself have. Nothing less, nothing more. Sign, if that's what you wish for."

"You're… you're serious?"

"Yes, idiot. It's ready, Hokage has already made the papers for you especially, all that's needed is your signature."

He blinked at me a few times, obviously his mind has yet to proceed the news. But then, with a little shaky hand, he placed his signature at the bottom of each page.

"Good," I said taking them from him and putting on the table. "You're now officially Kyu's mother."

"Kyu's what?!" he shot me a vicious look.

"You heard me," I said and wanted to add something more, but was suddenly bear-hugged by that moron, almost losing my breath.

"Oh screw it," he said against my neck. I felt a bit paralyzed and unsure if I should do anything. I just let him hug me, I didn't want him to freak out by any action I could do the moment he got back in touch with reality. "Thank you, Sasuke!" He looked at me, our noses almost touching. "Thank you so much, tebayo!"

We stood like that for a moment, I didn't miss the faint blush on Naruto's cheeks, which seemed to be growing every moment. "What are you thinking about, dobe?" I asked him.

He released me from his embrace and took a step back.

"Ano… I don't know, it's just I heard about something recently… I mean, you know that ever after that… time, I've been kinda scared, even if I tried to hide and all, I don't delude myself that you of all people wouldn't notice. After all you KNOW and all…"

I swear I could almost hear him stutter. "Dobe?"

"Yeah, I mean that… it's… there's you know, that therapy for fears… Like if you have spider-fear or something…"

"Arachnophobia."

"Yeah, whatever, you fear spiders, they throw you to some room with as many spiders as they could, they walk on you and all and that facing the fear heals the person. I thought that maybe if… Oh gods, what have I thought," he suddenly turned beet-red as I just gaped at him. "Ne, forget, I don't know what I'm saying I'm…"

"Dobe."

"Yeah, forget, gods," he slapped his forehead. "I'm talking too much, I was too happy, to much endorphins, I began to blubber and…"

"Dobe."

"And I shouldn't be asking you such a thing, never, so please, please forget I have ever said anything and…"

"Dobe, shut up already."

"And…"

"Naruto."

He raised his eyes at me, full of fear and total embarrassment.

"If I can help you, I will."

"But I was talking about…"

"I KNOW what you were talking about. I said I'll help you if that's what you need. So stop blubbering already."

"You… you'd…"

"Yes, idiot. I would."

-:-

**A/N:** So that's it for now, fellows. I'm putting this story on hold for a while. I don't know when I will post new chapter. Probably when I get some muse or motivation of sorts. I can't continue writing like this, the only thing that's happening is lowering the level of each chapter, I'm afraid, not only plot-wise, but language and emotion-wise as well. I'm not abandoning "Over my Dead Body", I'm just taking a break in wait for better times.

But review this chapter, please!


	40. Consequences

**A/N: **I'm still not over the writer's block. First two pages of this chapter I hade written maybe a month ago or so, before that I'd erased some other part. I hope writing in parts and so long after the last update (yes, I know some people can continue after a year of absence, I'm finding it hard after two weeks of not touching the thing) won't negatively affect the level of the chapter. I wanted to put a lemon in here, I even had an idea to make it different from the one before (not only changing the POV), but I couldn't find it in me to make one. Sorry to all the perverts :( (I'm one myself, I would probably kick my ass now if only I could reach the damn thing). Well anyway, onto the chapter, those of you who still believed I will come back.

**WARNINGS: **Just more hints on things if you connect the details. If you don't, then nothing. Yet. :hurr

**-Chapter Forty-**

_- __Consequences -_

**Naruto****'s POV**

Morning welcomed me with lazy sun rays falling on my face through the opened window. A gentle breeze brushed my skin as I put the covers aside. I let myself just mindlessly marvel at the feelings, the heat of the morning, velvety sheets and that gloriously soft bed I was resting on. And a night free of nightmares or other strange dreams, whether showing me the future or… other things.

Even though last evening Sasuke and I have moved my things into my new room and even arranged some make-shift bed, the conversation we had changed the plans.

I sat up and rubbed the sleep off my eyes a bit. Here it starts – thinking. At such a barbaric time, the morning, when I can hardly say my name without messing the letters up. But honestly, after what happened, I wouldn't expect no thoughts wandering into my mind.

If it all wasn't complicated enough before, it sure was now. All, I mean Sasuke and me, our relationship, whatever it was.

We could ignore a one time weakness I showed months back while he was affected by the jutsu, or at least I could try to ignore it as much as I could, blaming the surprise and coming back to life and all that jazz on it. Countless factors to choose from.

We could try to ignore all the time I spent with Orochimaru, it was me and the snake, not us.

But then we did it again. Both aware and consenting. There was no more haze and clouded views.

I closed my eyes for a moment to recall the sight of Sasuke's face from the night and smiled. I still found it hard to believe he agreed so lightly to help me in this way, but I tried my best not to give into comforting delusion that it's because he feels this way for me. Doubtful. But I wouldn't let that take me down, I have more than I could wish for – his friendship, strong enough to cross every border.

Just like mine for him.

I guess, that in itself, is some kind of love, isn't it?

I found Sasuke in the kitchen, already up and ready for the day, while I still had to open my eyes fully. From the smell, I concluded he already had breakfast as well, and as for the moment, was struggling to feed Kyu.

"Oi," I greeted him.

"Hn," he replied. Fair enough, I guess.

"Where did we put my instant ramen packs, 'tebayo?" I yawned.

"They are your ramen packs. You hid them, you find them, I don't care. There are bread and tomatoes on the table if you're hungry."

"Hmpf, you and your vegetables…" I muttered and was about to look for my ramen, but my stomach growled loudly and suddenly the image of suggested simple breakfast wasn't THAT repulsing.

"They're actually fruits," I heard him mutter.

Hell they are. Tomatos will always be a vegetable for me. Who cares it has pips. So does cucumber, does that make it a fruit? Bullshit.

I took a quick raid to the bathroom to freshen myself up and ran back to the dining room, adjacent to the kitchen. Through the open (well, non-existent at that moment) door I could still watch Sasuke, amusingly getting more and more of the food on himself instead of inside Kyu. He wrinkled his nose and removed the orange goo from his bangs, still slightly wet from a morning shower.

I had to admit it was really entertaining to watch him having to take care of a little baby. And I guess many would say it's cruel and dangerous to leave a child under his care alone, but after what I've seen, I would surely have no worries over her wellbeing as long as he was around.

"You think she misses her?" I asked, trying to melt some of the cold butter to be able to smear it on my sandwich (I swear, one more moment and I'll just bite the whole bar and full it with bread).

He turned to me "Who?"

"Konan," I lowered my gaze. "Do you think she misses Kyu? It's been some time now, you know."

"What are you on about, dobe?"

"Nothing really, stop looking at me as if I were plotting something. It's just that I sometimes actually THINK about OTHERS, not only myself, ya know."

"Hn."

End of conversation? Figures. I sighed and stabbed the brick before me.

Suddenly, Sasuke stood up and walked over to the table, freeing the butter of my knife and taking my bread as well. He sat down on the opposite chair and threw me a pitiful look. I pouted.

"Gimme back my bread, I'll manage, bastard."

"You've tried to manage for ten minutes or so now."

"That's not true! It would have melted already if it was so long!"

"It almost did," he said taking the thin layer off the bar and smearing across the bread.

No way I would let him win this one.

"Give me back my sandwiches!" I stood up and glared at him.

"No."

"Give."

"No."

That was it. It was no longer about the butter or the bread or anything food related at all.

It was a fight.

And if it was a fight he wanted, it would be a fight he gets. I jumped right up, aiming for the piece of bread in his hands, but he was ready. He evaded my distracting blow and managed to protect both bread and the butter, taking a quick retreat to the place which would give him better maneuvering possibilities.

Call me an idiot, but immediately adrenaline flowed into my veins, evoking the feeling of excitement I missed so dearly while Sasuke wasn't around. He smirked at me and taunted me with half smeared piece like one would do to a bull, waving a red cloth before its eyes.

And the effect was quite the same – I charged. Hell, maybe I should think about everything, be it my intelligence, dignity or even a sandwich-freeing plan, but it was me after all.

"Give!" I hollered and jumped right on Sasuke. He had no place to run anymore and we tumbled down the hallway, pulling hair, punching, and kicking wildly – he in a desperate attempt to keep the sandwich his and intact, me to retrieve it or even destroy the damn thing before he proves whatever he was trying to prove there.

Considering the fact we were still indoors, however demolished these indoors were already, we restrained ourselves from using some jutsus in this duel of sorts.

"Ouch!" I huffed as my back hit some defeated closet on our way. "You really have to clean this place, bastard," I told him, refusing to relent my grip on his fringe-bang of hair even as he dug his nails down my forearm.

"Shut up and leave my hair alone!" he growled, wincing as I tugged harder, my other hand trying to reach my prize.

"Ne, Sasuke, did anybody tell you, you shouldn't grow your hair out when you're a fighter? It can be a weakness, you know," I swayed his head right and left to prove my point, receiving a bestial snarl from him.

"Usuratonkachi!" he yelled, trying to kick me, but I got out of the blow's way.

I grinned at him. "You're home for real," I said, throwing him my softest look.

"What?" he blinked.

The second he lowered his guard due to my expression I pushed my whole body up and flipped him on his back and grabbed the sandwitch before he even noticed what's going on.

"Hah!" I laughed. "I can't believe you fell for that! I would NEVER give up on the fight, bastard, dattebayo!"

He glared at me but didn't bother to try to take it back. He knew he lost. And I knew I won. Satisfaction made me grin even wider as I destroyed a bit of the dusted piece.

"So it worked like a charm, didn't it?" he asked me, smirking. His eyes wandered for a second to the Pile of Defeat lying beside his hip, but the next moment they were boring into mine.

"I guess," I said,, trying not to lower my gaze. He wanted me to lower my eyes. He probably even wanted me to blush. Bastard. He knew that even now it made me feel awkward. But it really did work. I felt nothing, no memories invaded my brain, no fear came. The last human contact not evoking any of these I remembered from the dreams.

And hell I wished I could forget about them now.

"Hey, while we're at it... You've never told me one thing that's been on my mind ever since. Kinda, anyway."

Definite advantage of our relationship to me was the fact I could ask him whatever I wanted and even if that earned me a slap or a punch, that would be just it. And for him it was the fact that he could punch me for any question I've asked and it wouldn't change a thing.

"The girl you loved, who was she?"

He frowned. "What girl?"

"You've told me once, when I asked back then about who you had been with your first time. You said it was a girl and that you loved her."

"I never said such a thing," playful sparkles glimmered in his eyes.

"What? Don't you try to fool me, bastard. I remember what you said," I pouted.

"It was a long time ago, you now, you could have forgotten."

"I did not forget that!"

"Why so sure?"

"Because..." I huffed in sudden realization. "You want me to confess something, don't you! Not gonna happen, 'tebayo!"

He laughed. "Get off me, your stomach is growling at me and you've destroyed your breakfast."

"Don't you change the subject!"

"Which one?"

"What do you mean which one, bastard? The subject I've just risen!"

"Three or four of them."

"Sasukeee!" I yelled, frustrated, getting off him and marching back to the kitchen. That reminded me of a won competition and automatically made my mood better.

I smiled at Kyu playing with the remnants of her breakfast spattered all over the place.

"Just tell me," I said glaring at Sasuke as I plopped down on the chair and grabbed the, now soft, butter. "I'm curious."

"You're always curious about things you shouldn't be," but his actions contradicted his words as he joined me at the table. I know him, alright. If he wanted to avoid the subject he would get out and ignore me for the rest of the day, or longer if need be.

"So according to you, what had you said that day? You've been brainwashed enough to get your wits and memory messed, ya know. I'm right. And you..."

"Shush already," he kicked me under the table. "You're talking to much. Maybe if you didn't, you would pay more attention to details. And my brain is in better shape than yours has ever been."

"That's not true! I've only pretended to be an idiot all this time, you should know this," I crossed my arms on my chest to emphasize my words.

"Yeah, sure. So genius, why won't you tell me the answer to your question?"

"Ha, you're not only not avoiding it, you're actually prodding me to ask it! You want me to know."

"No shit, genius. Maybe you'd rather wonder why? That's more of a challenge," another unreadable smirk appeared on his lips.

"Tch," I mimicked his habitual response.

"So?"

"Nothing. Just tell me what do you think you've said," I narrowed my eyes and leaned forward across the table-top.

"I said I did it out of love," he stated and reached for the ripe tomato from the bowl.

"Like what have I said earlier that you said and you said you did NOT?" I raised my arms up. "That's exactly what I've said, bastard!"

"Your tongue's getting messy, idiot."

"Better tongue than brain, I dare say!" What was he about? I sat back down, not ceasing to observe him. Either he was indeed having some serious problem and in a moment I'll be worrying my guts out about it, or he had some cunning detail hidden before me, which I couldn't grasp.

I wasn't entirely sure which one of the two I'd rather like right then. It would actually prove to be somewhat funny to have Sasuke with amnesia.

Gods! When did I get so wicked? Of course it wouldn't be funny or amusing or interesting or... No, it just would NOT be good! But the opportunities... NO! I shook my head harshly. What the hell was wrong with me? First... that, now this.

"I've never said I loved her, I've never said it was from love for her."

"Huh?"

"With this, even half-wit you are should able to figure out this... with some luck," he smirked.

"Sasuke-teme! I'm curious, now just tell me!"

"If you want to know, think. I've no reason telling you anything else and it would take my fun away."

"You just made it up, didn't you 'tebayo?" I threw him an askance look.

"If you say so," he stood up and walked up to Kyu. "I'm taking her to Sakura for examination."

"Bastard," I muttered. He wouldn't tell me. I doubted he lied, but he wouldn't tell me just because he knew that I want to know and I'll be killing myself over this. Blasted curiosity. As if I even really needed that knowledge for my happiness. Maybe I should tell Sakura? She would be eager to know as well, and she's sooner to guess.

That thought made me suddenly a little bit uncomfortable.

Was I now her rival?

Gods, it was getting more ridiculous by the moment.

-:-

"Na-Naruto-kun?" I heard familiar voice calling my name, quickly followed by fast footsteps. "Are you here?"

"Hinata-chan," I blinked, confused, as she appeared in Sasuke's kitchen. "What are you doing here? And how did you even know I am here?"

She poked her fingers and blushed like usual. Seriously, I thought she'd grow up from this, but even now it was still kinda cute. "I was looking for you."

Ah yeah, explains everything. Hyuugas and their spy-like eyes. It made me uncomfortable at times. Not that I was doing things I should be uncomfortable about… or that they would know what exactly I'm doing, but still.

"Can you x-ray people with byakugan and see them naked?" I scratched my chin in contemplation.

"W-what?" her eyes widened even more.

"Na, really. I can't believe you people wouldn't use it if you could."

"I-I'd never…"

"Can you?"

"I-I g-guess so, Na-Naruto-kun, but I'd ne-never…"

To be honest, I could really believe it in her case. It was Hinata, after all. Or maybe just the vision of that girl peeking on people from behind some bush and drooling like Ero-Sannin was too scary for me to bear.

"Why have you been looking for me?" I asked her, realizing I really should move our conversation forward before she passes out again or something.

"I… I need your help, Na-Naruto-kun."

"Help? Hinata-chan, what happened?"

"I'm getting married."

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

"She's completely fine," Sakura said, poking Kyu with some asinine plush-toy looking like a mutated catbat. "All the test results are optimistic, there's a fair chance she won't have any kind of troubles growing up, even when her skills begin to come out."

"So you said last week, does she have to go through this on a regular basis?"

"Yes, for the first year. It's all good now, but I can't say yet if nothing will uncover itself later."

"Hn."

"But the chance is really small, Sasuke-kun," she smiled widely. Really widely even for Sakura. Interesting.

"Hn."

"Want to go grab some tea? You owe me for all these exams."

"Hn," I nodded. For now I had nothing else to do. Dobe was too busy living through his new house to spar with me, missions were still off-limits, I could just as well humour her this time. Yes. That's what it was about. Surely I was NOT curious why she is so shiny today and what it have to do with Kakashi.

We slowly went to one of the tea-houses outside the village's centre. It seemed that Sakura visits it a lot, because she immediately picked a place and ordered without even needing a card. "What do you want, Sasuke? Rose and jasmine are the best."

"Pick whichever," I replied, not caring much about the tea. It's not like I'd be able to tell them from a normal one from the sachet.

"Two rose ones then," she said to the girl. "Sasuke-kun, have you seen Hinata today?" she asked turning to me.

I shrugged. "Why would I?"

"She seemed terribly anxious all morning and evening yesterday, she was looking for Naruto all around. I don't know what has happened, but Ino said she saw Hanabi in the park sitting on the bench alone for a few hours. She never is alone, surely not for such long time."

"Why should I care?"

"C'mon, Sasuke, obviously something is wrong," she scowled at me and thanked for the brought tea with a mumble.

"Not only them, their whole family must have caught something," I heard the rakish voice of Ten-Ten approaching. "You haven't seen Neji. He's acting like a paranoia struck him or something," she plopped down on the pillow beside me and reached for my cup. "Whatcha got here? Rose tea? That's gay."

My eyebrow twitched at her. The tea was actually pretty tasty.

"Do you have any business here or just being a pest?" Sakura huffed. I could almost see her eyes screaming 'Sasuke-kun is not gay!'

"Just being a pest," replied the bun-girl. "I'm a tad-bit worried about my team-mate, you know. He's always gargoyle-stoic type and suddenly he's eyes are getting shifty and he's apprehensive all the time."

"So what?" Ah, annoyed Sakura. I wondered if she only hits boys. I wouldn't really care if they jumped each other's throats.

"Nevermind. Sasuke-kun, I guess Hinata found Naruto already, if you see him, asks what's going on. Neji wouldn't tell me and I'm sure Hinata went to spill her guts out before your dobe."

"Hn."

"I'll take it as a yes," she said and waving her hand at us left the building.

"She drives me nuts," Sakura stated.

I took it as a statement not requiring any answers.

-:-

I came back home after leaving Kyu with Ino (who found herself terribly fond of the baby and hardly ever allowed anyone else keep it when it was away from dobe and me). First thing that struck my eyes was a mess in the kitchen, more specifically contents of the cupboards laying in a pile on the floor, and all the instant ramen from the house missing. Did Naruto decide to leave? That was unlikely, seeing how happy he was moving in, but I could never be sure.

I went to the bedroom and yes, here I found a note on the bed. Picking it up I've read the message he left me.

"Hinata-chan's got a serious problem, I had to take her out of Konoha for two weeks. By that time that bastard…" I winced seeing him calling someone else this name, and immediately I slapped myself for such feelings. Why do I care? "… will leave Konoha and she'll be safe. I got Tsunade-baa-chan's silent approval, I'll be fine. Don't tell anyone. This note will auto-destruct in 3… 2… 1… gotcha! Now move your ass and burn it."

"Usuratonkachi…" I muttered and turned the paper into ashes.

Hinata wanted to run from the village and that lawful idiot is helping her? Now that has to be something big. I smirked. Can't be, interesting things happening in this hole.

-:-

Evening came in relative peace. Just once Ino visited me to plea for consent to keep Kyu for the night, and I didn't mind. I knew how guilt can pierce the guts, and even though I may not be an angel, I could help her relieve that pain a bit.

I decided to spend the time cleaning the mess. I threw out six bags full of demolished wall parts, broken glass, wood, paper, cloth, basically everything, before I heard the door bell ring. Who would be bothering me at such time? I ignored the ringing and got back to pulling out demolished shelves from the wall.

It rung again.

"Who the hell?" I yelled.

"We need to talk, Uchiha."

With one final tug I took the wood and with the sack went to open the door.

"Hyuuga," I greeted the boy standing in my threshold, scrutinizing me with these cold eyes of his. I felt my Sharingan activating against my will. But when it came to looks, I would rather scare children, while he was able to make everyone unnerved with that blankness.

"May I come in?"

I moved aside, letting him in.

"Why so serious?" I teased him, seeing as he stiffly walked to the remnants of living room.

"Because," he turned around glaring at me from narrowed eyes. "I have a serious problem. And you'll be no better if you won't help me."

"Oh? And what issue is this?" I asked sitting down on the red armchair.

"Hinata, as a heiress of the Hyuuga clan, is to marry the descendant of a powerful line from the village of Grass, which is supposed to grant the villages a long lasting peace."

"And that's a serious problem because?"

"Because Hinata's obviously gone missing."

Ah, that explains a few things. But not all of them.

"And that's a serious problem because, if I may repeat? There's still Hanabi, I don't think that will make that much a difference."

"This is exactly what the serious problem is about. Let's say that… we share a crime, Uchiha. Just that mine is of a greater consequence."

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

_I opened my eyes only to see the darkness. There was no wet grass beneath me and no whispering of trees around. I couldn't hear the campfire and Hinata's soft breathing. She wasn't here, in this place._

_What would she be doing inside my mind anyway?_

_It was not just another dream, but I had no idea what am I doing back in here. Kyuubi was gone (I felt a slight pinch around my heart at the memory of my fox. He might have been an evil bitch, but... he was always here. And I've grown attached to him). Why else would I ever come here?_

"_Because I've brought you here," the voice spoken was unfamiliar to me. It wasn't the voice of Kyuubi, and it wasn't the voice of Sasuke._

"_Who are you?" I asked, not even trying to pierce the darkness with my useless eyes. Whoever was there, though, stood at a distance. I could feel his presence, but barely._

"_That has no meaning to you, yet."_

"_Why are you here?" I didn't want to listen to some idle madman's chat. I wanted my answers and I wanted them now._

"_Why? Because of you, obviously. You need not to try and fight me. You're powerless, Naruto. Even though it's your mind we're within, which I'm sure you're aware of, I have all the power I can. I'm here to warn you, for you'll be facing a test soon."_

"_Test?" I snarled. "Get the hell outta here, I don't want any tests from you!"_

"_Test," he said and suddenly I felt a breath on my neck, but when I tried to turn around I couldn't, my limbs refused to listen to me. "Test of will. And just a game to entertain me. You'll be given a choice," he whispered. "A choice where no option will be good, yet they will differ much. I'm curious as to what will you choose."_

"_I choose nothing, let go off me and leave me be!"_

"_Oh, true. There is a bad way you can pick. You may not participate in my little fun, but then, what you lose will be twice as much."_

_A dark chuckle, which I was sure was there only to provoke a shiver on my spine, ringed through my ears. I didn't like it one bit. I've heard tales of ninjas put before choices impossible to make yet to be taken for the good of the mission. But I wasn't on any mission now, it was only a prelude to some insane game._

"_In spite of what you were made to believe, you have a great potential, Naruto. You just need to free it. And I will be there to guide it into the right direction, like the father you never had. Such a loss, isn't it?"_

"_Let. Me. Go."_

"_Oh I will, you need not to worry about this. Keeping you in here would just as boring with solving problems the conventional way. But it's always about the intrigue, about the thrill. About the mind play and intellectual duels. That's why I've created a genius, that's why I respect only those who can keep my pace for a time. I think you could do it, if you tried, Naruto. But first, you need a lesson you won't forget. And you'll be facing it alone, for not always you can depend on others."_

"_Yes I can!" I yelled. "I have my friends, and if you try something, we'll kick your ass to the next millennium, you'll see!"_

"_Time travel? Interesting indeed. But seeing the future messed it up already way too much for my taste, and now I'll have to fix your mistakes anyway. And if you learn your lesson, I may just allow you to watch, that indeed should be fascinating."_

"_I'm not interested, you madman! What the hell are you talking about?"_

_Again he laughed. _

"_You're not interested yet, but your morals aren't as pure as you'd like them to be. And soon I'll show you that, contrary to your current belief, not every love is better than hatred. After all, one has a source in another, doesn't it?"_

-:-

Jerked out from the weird vision, I jumped up at the noise. It was Hinata, she was kneeling on her bedroll, coughing harshly.

"Oi, Hinata-chan! What's wrong?" I squatted beside her, putting my hand on her shoulder.

My heart thumped wildly. What was going on? Is that... no. No it couldn't be!

"I'm, I'm fine, Na-Naruto-kun, it-it passed."

"What was wrong?"

"I don't kn-know. I felt li-like my he-heart was failing for a mo-moment. I think it c-can be from all this stress though, n-nothing to worry about. N-Naruto-kun?"

"I'm glad you're alright," I hugged her tightly. "You scared me, Hinata-chan!"

"I-I'm so-sorry," her eyes wandered down and she poked her fingers together. "D-day awakes."

Indeed, the dawn has come.

"N-Naruto-kun... tell me, please..." I turned to her as she almost whispered the words.

"Hinata, you have to talk louder. I'm half-deaf from Sakura-chan's screams, ya know," I smiled seeing she was somehow troubled suddenly. "'Eye, what's on your mind there?"

"I-If this do-doesn't w-work, w-will you marry me?"

-:-

**General POV**

Itachi sighed as Madara entered his room. He put down the scroll he'd been writing on and reached for the pre-made sandwich with a piece of slightly withering lettuce.

"What is it?" he asked. It was late in the night and the last thing he desired at that moment was Madara's company.

"It's high time to extract the Jinchuuriki. We cannot keep it in proper shape any longer, it uses both our resources and our nerves. You have to bring Sasuke here as soon as you can and we'll get it over with."

"I don't think he'll do it. He's not ready."

A blatant lie, he knew this. Few in one, even.

"He has to be ready. He agreed."

"Not to this yet. Nobody asked him for this."

"He knew, Itachi. You may try to protect him, but there's nothing left for you to protect."

"I think you're wrong," the younger one replied. 'I'm wrong… I know, silence.' "Naruto is one, dead or alive, and I doubt Sasuke will agree to kill of a kind his best friend cares so much about."

"That is a lie, Itachi. You know this well, I thought you were above such simple denial. Don't try to fight with me over his soul, because I can make you lose, in the most ironic of ways."

Madara took few steps forward, Itachi catching his eyes in a long gaze. He smiled, but that was a wicked smile. One Itachi knew doesn't foreshadow anything good.

"You and your brother are the living irony," Madara's voice didn't hide much excitement. "It's amazing, when I observe you. After all this time, you now care so much about him, you're hoping to reverse the process. And it is, after all, nothing, but the consequence of your love."

-:-

**A/N:**So that's it for now. I thought about giving this story up for adoption, but I have an idea for how the plot should go, more or less, and I wouldn't want it to deviate under somebody else's care. Also I thought about finding a co-writer of sorts, but that's rather impossible. None of my rl friends I could ask for this sit in the (yaoi) fanfiction world, and I honestly doubt anyone else could care enough, so I guess you'll just have to wait for incoming chapters for indefinite amounts of time :(

Please review and tell me what do you think. That's the only thing that may keep me going with this right now.


	41. Crossroads

**A/N: **This fanficion is nearing its end. The next chapter will most likely solve the majority of the remaining issues and conclude the biggest parts of the plot. This one here is up for my own amusement, it again isn't built like the normal ones are. For those of you who like to foresee the events that will occur it's basically a hint chapter. If someone catches something, I'll dedicate the next chapter to him or her. Your call whether you want to play or not.

**-Chapter Forty**** One-**

_- C__rossroads -_

**Naruto's POV**

I looked at Hinata with my jaw hanging low.

"Hinata-chan, this is…"

She pierced me with those silvery orbs of hers. I noticed she was shaking lightly. "Are you feeling alight?" I touched her forehead. "Oi! You're having a fever and it's high if I can feel it!"

"I-I'm fine, N-Naruto-kun, I'm j-just worried… I-it's all complicated…"

"Yeah, I know, I know, Hinata-chan. But it'll all be okay, just lie down now, you need to rest. We'll talk everything over when you're better, I promise, dattebayo!"

She nodded slightly and lied down, allowing me to cover her with both our blankets. For some reason, I had a flash of Sasuke being here in the same position and hurling the blankets at me angrily, willing to die before he'd let me take care of him like this. I smiled to myself.

I sat beside Hinata, watching her as she was slowly falling asleep. I cursed not having anything to give her for the fever, and I knew that if it doesn't drop soon enough I will have to make a run to Konoha to get the medical team or risk taking her along. But both of the ways were risky, not only because of the road or leaving her alone, but because that prick who demanded her hand was still there.

Speaking of pricks, that reminded me of that weird dream I had. Just after awakening, it felt so real and a bit scary, but now that I thought about it, I had similar dreams before. Too many creepy horror movies and stories. I snorted. While I was bothering with such futile things like my screwed up dreams (well, seeing that some of them actually showed me the future and some showed me, uh, other events, I guess it wasn't all THAT futile, but still) there was something seriously wrong with Hinata.

Struck by a sudden wave of brilliancy, I bit my finger and tried to summon the frog. I needed a messenger to send it to Tsunade to ask for some help, advice or fever killers.

But all I got was a tadpole.

"What the hell? I thought I'd mastered this jutsu enough to choose a frog!" I whispered angrily. I made the seals of dismissal and then tried again, focusing really hard.

Tadpole again.

I frowned. "I don't get it. Where are the frogs?"

The stupid animals, of course, only squirmed on the ground and I had the sudden urge to bite it. Actually, I was quite hungry after the night and I guess Hinata would be as well if she wasn't asleep. I took my pack and went outside to prepare the meal.

I crouched down and began to struggle with humid sticks to make a fire. I brought water yesterday, should be enough for two ramen packs, but after trying it once made only on cold water I decided to never do that again.

"Isn't it reckless of you, staying alone in the woods with a sick girl?" I heard a low male voice ask, but before I could turn around, a strong hand pushed my head back by the forehead, against the soft fabric of clothes. "Lucky you, I just hope for a little chat this time."

***

"_The dreams are interesting things indeed," the same voice rung in my head as I was returned into the darkness. I recognized it, it was the same one I've heard in the dream before. "We usually don't pay much attention to them, but even normal people should, they tend to tell us interesting stuff about ourselves. But you, Naruto, you wished to discard your dream even after you've been proven it's not only a projection of your unconscious mind."_

"_H-how would you know what I dream of and what I decide to think about this! Explain now!" I turned on my heel to the source of the voice. _

"_Isn't it obvious? I created the previous dream, I wanted to give you a hint of the game, but you decided to ignore it. It gives me no joy if you don't worry, if you don't think, if you don't try to win me over."_

"_The hell! How can I win you over when I don't know either who you are, nor what you want of me!"_

"_I just want to have some fun. A long, lonely life gets boring sooner or later, especially when my most interesting plans fail. I thought I could throw you just a few words to make you believe and join me in my game, but you're too stubborn, aren't you?"_

"_I won't play any of your games," I snarled. "Reveal yourself, I want to know who the hell you are."_

"_Such a shame your inner friend is gone, I think he'd have quite a few words to say about me. You will play my games, Naruto, or you will lose them all by default. Yes, I am giving you choices, I am even giving you the chance to win one of them. The other I've told you about last night, you WILL have to make a choice. And you will choose, even if you do nothing. You can't decide to play or to pass, that decision has been made."_

"_What kind of game is it? What do I have to choose?"_

"_You will have to figure it out, otherwise you will also lose. What's the excitement when the game is easy? Don't be so scared, panic can cripple your senses."_

"_I'm not scared. I'm pissed," I said glaring into the darkness. "I refuse to listen to you, dammit! Get out of my head!"_

"_We're not done yet. Please sit and make yourself at home."_

_Suddenly the dim light appeared from some point in the black mass and a shadowy silhouette of my capturer of sorts pointed to the side where a chair stood._

"_I'm not sitting down!"_

"_Wrong," by that single word my body moved and seated itself. "Is this enough for you to understand you have no say in the situation?"_

_It was, as much as I hated to agree. It was something way beyond me. He controlled me in my own mind, and I couldn't do anything, I couldn't even demand anything._

_All I could do is listen to his speech. And figure out the games. He wanted to play, he said he'll give me a chance to come out victorious, or less of a loser. I decided to listen and understand as much of it as I could, as Kakashi always tried to teach us. When kidnapped by the enemy, don't ignore his words, because they may be your ticket back to freedom._

_Even though this man was obviously not your average scum or even enemy ANBU, the rule could just as well be applied, especially if the loopholes were here by the intent._

"_The basic idea is, we have screwed the future. Or, as of now, the present. By that weird technique Kyuubi used when you were killed, you were given the connection of dimensions beyond the one an average mortal can reach, you were given the ability to look into the future in some of your dreams," he slowly walked around in a big circle, enough for me to see his shape, not nearly enough to see the face. While I ridiculously sat on the soft, crimson-black armchair in the middle of that circle, feeling completely helpless and exposed._

"_Of course you can't control it, it's not what you could have been trained for and it would require a genius of genjutsu techniques to understand how it works and activate it on will. Incredible power, don't you think? But even though it's beyond your control, the skill was still usable for you. It allowed you to change more and more things, but that's just… a butterfly effect, you know what that is, right?"_

"_Of course I do!"_

_He chuckled silently._

"_First one who has touched the future and altered it was nobody else, but me. Your capture, Naruto-kun, occurred only because I have foreseen how this can happen. That lead to unsuspected chain of events, and now I wish to fix that mess, I don't really find the alternative just as fitting. The problem is, you may still see the future and meddle in my plans while I'm on it. Of course, I could just kill you, I guess. But that wouldn't be just as fun as what I have in store for you."_

"_Kill me? I'm dead! And what do you mean you've captured me? You don't remind me of any Akatsuki creep, well, sans Itachi, but you're not him, so I'm sure…"_

"_Sure of what, Naruto? I have kidnapped you into your own mind, don't think I could have fooled in unlimited ways before? Funnily enough, I chose the easiest and silliest way to do so. But that isn't the point, nor is the fact that I indeed can kill you. Point is, will you decide to get into my tracks? Or will you step down and let things happen? I, for one, can provoke the future visions to activate, and this one I will share with you. After all, it's always a good thing to share, right? You seem to believe in this above anything else. You're altruistic to the point that it sickens me, but we will work on this issue as well, soon enough."_

_-:-_

_We both appeared in a snowy land. I didn't feel the real cold, but I shivered nonetheless at the mere sight._

'_What we will see here, will happen if you try to fight me, mix up my plans, or confuse the fate further. I am not backing away, the only way not to let this happen is for you to step down. You don't know what will happen then, and you won't until you see. It's both the easiest and the hardest choice of all that you have."_

_I turned to him and saw him in the bright light reflected from the snow. There was no doubt about one thing – he was an Uchiha, or at least he looked like one. I didn't know who exactly may he be, but I had a feeling I've brushed against his presence before, somewhere in the dreams, most likely, somewhere he mattered and was my enigma. I didn't ask for his name or history though, it's not like he would tell me, I've understood as much._

"I must stay here," the silent whisper reached my ears. "There's no place else."

Familiar voice. Too familiar voice. I launched in it's direction, stupid snow was blocking my view.

Sasuke.

He was sitting on the pile of snow, covered loosely by the torn Akatsuki cloak, his face so pale it was barely seen on the snowy background, lips blue from the cold.

"Don't play stupid," he said. "I've never deemed you a fool."

"_Who is he talking to? There's no one around."_

"_For you and me there isn't, that's true," the man came closer to me and put a hand on my forehead. I felt a gentle tingling of warmth. "Look now."_

_I turned back to Sasuke and now I've noticed another figure sitting beside him. Long black hair, pale carnation and that weird outfit I could never mistake for anything else._

_Orochimaru._

"True. I wasn't a fool. But I've never deemed you a coward. Why won't you go back?"

"I'm tired," Sasuke said quietly. "I can be a coward now, after all, no eyes but mine are directed my way. And I… just don't care anymore. Konoha would bring memories, Akatsuki would bring memories. Damn, even seeing my own daughter would make me break, and I cannot break before her."

"You're pathetic."

"And you're a hallucination, for gods' sake! Shut your mouth, why does it have to be you anyway?"

"Because you're a pathetic coward. And I don't remind you of either of them. I'm so different, my presence doesn't hurt you."

"Itachi killed you, shouldn't that be a reminder?"

"Obviously not, or you just couldn't resist me."

"Che. I'd rather be alone than have such company."

"So ironic," the damn snake laughed. I was so glad he's dead! "I spite you still even after I died, and you can't even do that easiest thing, you can't even fucking freeze to death," he growled with laughter. "Nothing left to live for, all your enemies perished. No hate left, no vengeance you could take."

"Shut up! I don't want to hear that word ever again!"

"Having a temper tantrum, are we? Yelling at your own self. You're so angry, but you have only yourself to blame now. And you just can't kill yourself."

"How many times will you repeat that? I get it! I get it! I'm fucking immortal and nothing's going to fix it!"

"_So, I've bitten the dust after all.__ Interesting, my visions hadn't shown me the moment it happened. Even for me they tend to be… picky. But obviously so did you and Itachi, smells like an epic fight to me, or an epic plot where the winner came out as a biggest loser of us all. I'd love to live to see that happen," he smirked as I glanced at him. "Sadly, we can't always get exactly what we want. My death shouldn't happen if the future wasn't that messed up. At least, not at this point."_

"Two promises I've broken. I promised Naruto to save them, and I didn't."

"_He won't, remember that. Even if you'll stubbornly cling to your hope, make a choice, or you WILL lose twice as much, just as I promised. I don't break my promises."_

"_You don't break promises? Pardon me, but you seem like a…" I bit my tongue before a word slipped out. Who knew what this maniac could do to me? Or anyone else for that matter?_

"_Lying gives fake traces, fake traces make people run around in circles instead of finding clues for a solution. Lies make the game boring, therefore I've no use for them."_

I watched as Sasuke reached behind his shirt and took out a small wooden box. As he opened it I saw inside a withered, frozen forget-me-not.

"I had promised never to forget. And I forgot, I forgot everything I should remember."

_The man beside me walked over, as if studying their faces in thought. _

"_Come to think of it, it's really interesting. There are only two people able to kill Itachi now, and there are also only two who can kill you without killing Sasuke first. He, as we see, lives," he reached forward and slowly traced Sasuke's white cheek. "If you can call this a life. He's immortal, do you know the only way he could reach it?"_

_I remembered the dreams I had before. Were they still bearing some truth?_

"_Kill me?"_

"_Indeed. Do you think he made that easy calculation?"_

"_He wouldn't…"_

"_I couldn't hear you, what did you mutter?"_

"_I said, he wouldn't do this!" I yelled._

"_What makes you think so? Love? Don't me laugh."_

"_I pity you."_

_The only answer was a smirk._

Orochimaru stretched and blew on his hands, as if hallucinations could feel the chill.

"Your life was a road full of betrayal and broken promises, no news you bring here. You killed, you used, you cheated, and in the end, all you did was forget the love, but somehow the hate was still there, wasn't it? You were weak. Weak and pathetic."

Sasuke's hand reached to his neck as if searching for something.

But it was no longer there.

"Shut up I tell you! I don't need my own hallucination berating me, reminding me of everything I'm trying to run away from!"

"Of course you don't need this, it's all in your head anyway. But at some level, you want it. Guilt and regret are the only things you have left. Plus two useless pieces of jewellery," he reached to the pocket and took out the amulet and a ring of some kind. But it wasn't the Akatsuki ring, I couldn't see it too well, but it was smaller and blue. "Besides, you were always a masochist, Sasuke-kun." He took the flower out of Sasuke's fingers, crushed it and let the wind blow it away. The only thing Sasuke did was follow the pieces with a blank gaze.

"Forget," he said suddenly, his voice softer, not mocking him anymore. "You know that again, it was everyone's fault, but yours."

Black hair all of a sudden brightened and shortened, face for a tan and clothes morphed into my usual jumpsuit.

Sasuke's eyes rose to the ones of his hallucination, his lips quivered lightly, but no word has left them.

"It was my fault, Bastard, dattebayo! For a change, I screwed up this time, stop being so hard on yourself!"

"Go away!" Sasuke yelled as he came back to his wits. "Just… just vanish!" his hands shook violently, but it wasn't from the cold this time.

"It was me…" the hallucination changed its form again, this time taking the looks of none other but Itachi. "I was the one to discover the way to immortality, I was the one to plant that hatred consuming you in the first place. Blame me, otouto," he smiled gently. I've seen him smile like this, it was… unusual. Does he smile like that often for Sasuke?

Sasuke shook his head vigorously and covered his face in his palms. "Go away, leave me be!" he tossed about.

"Those were all lies," the deep voice said, I turned to the man beside me, but he stood silent, fascination growing on his face. It wasn't he who spoke. "It is you who is guilty. You conjure their images in desperate tries of deceiving yourself, some part of you hopes that you're mad enough to believe they're here and that they still care about you. But they are not. I am here to remind you about this. You cling to me, because still the bigger part of you doesn't want any lie. You're tired of lies, aren't you? Your whole life was basically one, big lie, until recently when all the things uncovered. And you know, that none of this would have happened, had you obeyed me, had you agreed to play my game. By listening to every order of mine, you could keep them both alive. What did it matter what I wished to ask of you? Was it worth it, saving the pitiful pieces of morality you had left? You knew the price may be high, and yet you couldn't agree. Why is that so? Or maybe you did it for them? Maybe you wished to follow the rules? As you see, the only thing the rules gave them, is death. And you can't even join your brother in whatever hell there is now."

"Stop it…"

"Why would I? I am you. And aren't you a selfish little bitch, Sasuke? Well, you have it all for yourself. The whole eternity, where you'll be alone, because even if you tried coming to back to life? You'll only see all the others passing away, dying before your eyes. The blessings, as well as curse, are best enjoyed in company. But it's too late. You've won the game, haven't you? Such a… wonderful prize you've got. But you still have yourself, don't you? Somebody to bring back the pain when it goes away, somebody to keep you awake at night, when you'd wish to succumb to the cold. Somebody to hate, isn't it perfect?"

_We watched them both as they sat in silence, the man slowly transforming back to Orochimaru, as not to remind Sasuke of either of us._

_What has happened that lead to this? Nothing, nothing about the life as I see it could tell me it's on a downward spiral._

"_You have choices to make now, Naruto. First one, soon enough. Remember to pick. Next one though is much more of a challenge, not only the tool for my own amusement and curiosity. The second choice, second part of a game, has probably three possible outcomes. One – you can lose. I think you can see what a loss it is to you. Second one, the one is to do nothing. I ensure you the vision won't come true that way. Third one though, is actually the chance of winning the game, most unlikely of all of these, if you ask me. To win the game, you would have to figure out all the rules, all the hidden parts of a play. Promises made. You would have to ensure that the flower never gets its meaning._

_To add to the taste of our little game, I'll tell you that if you choose to follow the path of win, if you try to have it all without losing anything, without making him lose anything, you may fail, but then I will not make it possible for you to change the events, even if your doings change nothing about my own plan. Your choice, your call._

_I guess though, you might want to interpret the lose option a bit differently. After all I am the biggest evil in here. I am the one who starts the chain leading to this. It is my will to fix the future by my own will that may lead to this… catastrophe. Wouldn't it be good for the world to kill me? Wouldn't you be doing countless people a favour by ridding the world of me? By letting this all happen? Maybe that is your happy ending, maybe that is your ultimate win? I have no doubt you wouldn't think twice if the cost was just your life, but condemning your best friend to all of this to gain it? You'll have to decide what is the lesser evil, which way is more cruel of the two. _

_And if you can finally stop being so selfless, because it makes you a real idiot."_

**A/N: **It's a bit late, forgive me for my mistakes, please. :)


	42. Family Portrait I: Meaning of 'a Friend'

**A/N: ****CONTAINS WARNINGS FOR THE CHAPTER AS WELL. READ IF THEY MATTER TO YOU.**

**Enormous chapter, ****monstrous A/N :) Bolded most important parts for the lazy people.**

_**Christmas is coming close**__** (!!!)**_, and I am happy. I hope you are too! I love this time of the year, and it's a time for giving, so I will try to write some more and update this fic as much as I can in the nearest future :) **This chapter will be very long, and therefore I have decided to cut it into several parts. This is the part one, A/N applies to all of them.**

About the chapter itself, because it will be different from the previous ones. Firstly, there are going to be parts not very relevant to the plot, but important for character development (although mostly at the beginning). Also, for all of you who expect pure romance, I think you have figured it out already, this isn't a pure romance fic - it has a plot, it has friendship parts, it has parts about the other people. And this chapter will be full of all these things. Romance is important, yes, but so is the rest of the stuff. Otherwise the romance part would be empty and get old pretty fast. At least for me. I think I should point this out in the first chapter as well, as to not disappoint some of the readers. Yeah. Will do.

Secondly, the title comes from a song by Pink this time, and as it's about a family. I've decided to give more 'members' their own POV. Family are not only bound by blood though.

And speaking of those, there will be **incest **revealed. Yes, revealed. It was present in the fic for quite some time now. And yes, **Silver-eyed,** you were right as well, congratulations on picking up on the Neji's problem. **I never said I'd try to make this fic very appropriate or moral, but I still warn you.** I know some people get disgusted by the mere thought, so I'd rather give them a head up. Why is incest here? Because I wanted to complicate things and it fit. Simple as that.

This chapter is also a proof from me that I managed to keep my basic resolution. There are side pairings and characters in this chapter, ones I really don't like. But I tried to make them IC, instead of dumb bashing, be it character bashing or pairing bashing. I hope I managed. It was hard.

**Important c****haracters will die**. How many, I won't say. **More than one for sure.**

**About the structure of the chapter:** I've chopped the chapter into separate parts, each with its own subtitle. A whim of mine, I guess, but I hope it may add to the feel and make it all easier to understand. The chapter may be kind of messy.

**Songs! **Yes, I was bored people. I couldn't get myself to start writing it so I've looked for some inspiration in the songs. I've sneaked the lyrics inside in some parts. You may get a slightly musical feeling if you know them, since **I've put lyrics into characters' speech**. Wanted to try something new, hopefully a few rhymes here and there won't be too devastating. Catch them if you can. Some of them I've changed significantly, some are left raw.

There should be lyrics of my favourite Evanescence but somehow they didn't make their way into it. Next chapter though (chapter, not a part of this one), will have its title from them. And the last one, I hope, as well. First song that got popular, if you figure this out, you figure out what will happen in the last one most likely. Yes, a hint. I love hinting.

You may also track down **Jon Irenicus** somewhere :D **Unless you have never played Baldur's Gate, then shame on you!**

Also, I guess there's no real need to warn you, since this fiction was quite full of these, but hell, I've put so many warnings one more can't hurt. So: **spoilers**, people. I don't do things exactly like they are in canon, but I play around some of the events. **There's one fight which is quite directly taken from the canon AND IS NOT DESCRIBED**. It's from different POV and I avoided describing the fighting, actions, and jutsus since I deem it boring and unimportant, especially since everyone more or less up-to-date should know it well enough.

**Chapter**** may be rated M.** There's no lemon (I think, I haven't written all the following parts yet), but I wasn't really careful to avoid mature themes, so also, feel warned.

And finally, if you** don't remember the last chapter and want to catch everything in here, **you should remind yourself. Otherwise some small parts may be weird, but nothing drastic still, I guess.

**-Chapter Forty Two-**

_- __Family Portrait I -_

**I: ****THE MEANING OF "A FRIEND"**

**Naruto's POV**

It all still felt unreal, even when I came back to my senses and the world appeared around me once again. The fire beside me seemed to whisper words, but it was just my tired mind playing tricks on me. What powerful jutsu had that man had to put on me to render me so tired afterwards? I wasn't even trying to fight him, for the most part.

And who was he? An Uchiha… I had to ask Sasuke as soon as I come back.

Or maybe I shouldn't? Maybe he shouldn't know?

That idea made me realize exactly what happened – I was in a game. I had to play, make some moves because he promised I'd have a chance to win. And yet, at the same time, he planted me with hesitation, making me unsure about anything I may or may not do. Which way was a mistake to make? Which was just a cowardice?

Dammit, I was never one to play these kinds of games. I liked things clear, I liked to know what I am fighting for and which way should I follow, be it the one laid with thorns and pain, but the one and only right one.

I didn't want to fight for the soul and life of my best friend like this. The stake was way too high for me to bear it, but if I didn't, wouldn't I lose by default? Leaving him to his plans wasn't the best outcome, I could tell they are no good, even if they don't seem to be as bad as the vision of Sasuke he presented me with.

One thing I knew for sure – he wasn't fooling around. It really was the possible future he had shown me. I could feel it in my guts, same way I always did after my own prediction dreams.

So I could win. And Uzumaki Naruto never gives up on a chance of winning, especially such an important one.

To figure out the rules, to understand the game, to make sure the flower never gets its meaning.

What should I do?

"N-Naruto-kun…" I heard the soft whispering of Hinata's from inside the tent.

Right, I wasn't alone, I was supposed to take care of her.

"I'm coming, Hinata-chan!"

It was all too damn complicated for me! Not only the stupid game thing, but now there also came the problem with Hinata's heiress duties and…

…she asked me to marry her.

I shook my head vigorously. She must have been feverish when she said that.

I picked myself up from the ground and ran into the tent. "Are you alright?" I asked her.

"I think I-I'm feeling somehow better now," she smiled and poked her fingers together. "A-are you alright though? Y-you look a bit o-out of place or so-something…"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I just needed a little sleep, because I, e-eheh, kinda fell asleep right there outside, 'tebayo," I habitually rubbed the back of my head. I should really stop doing that, it's so childish.

I squatted beside her and put a hand on her forehead. "The fever seems lower, at least to me, but I never was good at that stuff, ya know. I wanted to summon some frogs to get help from Baa-chan, but all I got was a tadpole for some reason," I frowned.

"I-it's fine, Naruto-kun. I'm so grateful y-you're helping me like this."

"No problem, Hinata-chan. How could I call myself your friend if I let some ugly-ass bastard marry you against your will?" I flashed her a grin and she smiled. Her cheeks grew red again. Was the fever coming back?

"T-the thing I said earlier, N-Naruto-kun… about the marriage…"

"You were feverish, that's fine!"

"No… I-I mean… I guess but… I did mean it…"

I blinked a few times while some cat apparently got my tongue since I couldn't choke a word out.

"…"

"I know, asking you for such a thing… is v-very stupid of me, b-but… It m-may not work. The H-Hanabi thing…" she said after she realized I'm not speaking first.

I took a deep breath. What?

"Why wouldn't it? As soon as they realize you're gone they won't have a big choice, right? I guess, they may even say you went missing on a mission or something. That dude will have no way of knowing, dattebayo!"

"I-it's not really about him, t-the problem."

"How so?"

"It's a-about Hanabi. S-she's in love… And she won't just give u-up, I know her…"

"Hanabi is in love? With who?" I asked surprised. I never noticed! Not that I was seeing her often, but still... if that serious enough to stand for it despite clan's business, I should have noticed!

Hinata lowered her eyes. "D-doesn't matter," she spoke. "He won't let i-it happen either… he was... taught not to give up on the dreams. A-and he loves her too."

I frowned. "What will they do?"

"I don't know… T-they may try to e-escape… or… do s-some other stupid thing."

"Why can't they marry knowing you've escaped? It sure would be a piece of cake compared to what you would have to do to marry someone who's kinda… dead, hehe."

"Don't say that!" she shrieked and I backed away a bit. I've never seen Hinata actually scream. "Y-you're not dead, N-Naruto-kun…"

"Well, in the records…"

"I-it doesn't matter… y-you may be right, b-but it doesn't matter for them. They cannot marry, t-that happens s-sometimes in clans, b-but… they're too close."

"What?" I asked again raising my eyebrows in confusion.

"It's Neji-san she's in love with. A-and he's unpredictable now."

Neji? Neji's in love? I thought he was even worse than Sasuke when it comes to feelings like that.

"How long does this… suitor of yours intend to stay in Konoha?"

She looked at me somehow weirdly. She was expecting me to say something I didn't.

"I-I don't know," she spoke after a few seconds of just staring, as if she was processing some data.

"I am sure they will figure it out, somehow, dattebayo! After all, Neji is a genius, isn't he?" I smiled.

Hinata blinked at me. "Aren't you… outraged?"

I snorted at the word chosen. Outraged? "By love, Hinata-chan?"

She looked at me in confusion. She did expect me to moralize, to criticize. To be a hero, a guardian of whatever morals there were, just like I used to be.

But I couldn't anymore.

"Being a friend, means never to judge," I said, smiling. "It will all be fine, I promise ya. You won't marry that guy, no matter what happens, alright? But I can't marry you Hinata." 'I'm in love too.' "Baa-chan hasn't figured out yet how to get around the miraculous 'resurrection' of mine in the whole paperwork, and marriage is nothing but the tons of such."

"Y-you have changed s-so much."

"Yeah, hehe. I guess I have," who wouldn't after all I've been through? "I guess I've just grown up and understood that life sometimes is more complicated than I wished to believe. Especially where love is involved."

"H-Have you ever loved anyone? You never had a family… a-anybody."

"I had and have friends… I have a person I love above all else. But family? I guess I will never know how it really feels to have a family from the beginning," I said. "How does it feel to have someone to always take care of you, protect you, someone you can depend on and someone who expects nothing in return."

"Your f-friends are like this, I-I think…" she tilted her head to the side.

"No… I think it's still a bit different. It's kinda hard to describe for me… I guess, it's also hard to describe for you, your family isn't the type I talk about. We will never know how it feels to look into the eyes of someone you grew up with, loved so damn much. How it feels to lose it, and gain it back. That feeling of connection on the deepest of levels, and the storm of feelings that rushes through you, driving you insane until you find some way and try to grasp it, calm it, believe it. The familiarity, feelings that make you feel as if time never moved, as if things never happened. And the way you may feel like a child again, if only for a while."

"That sounds… great. B-but how do you know of all these emotions? They have never passed my mind w-when I thought about family. It sounds as if you felt them. O-or so-someone told you about it, since you couldn't feel any of these."

Couldn't I?

"Are you crying?"

'Yes I am.' Because these feeling make me cry, even though I know they do not belong to me, I cherish them. Being granted the opportunity to feel them I perceived as a curse at first, I wished they were gone, removed, never given. But now? Now I see them as a blessing.

"I know," I wiped my eyes. "It's because I'm happy I'm an idiot."

"W-what?"

"Nothing, Hinata-chan, don't bother. You should rest, you're terribly pale."

"I-I'm cold."

I didn't think much when I neared her and covered us both with blankets. "Sleep and get well," I said and she hesitantly leaned on my chest. "If we had to come back to Konoha right now things would get so much more complicated."

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

I followed the Hyuuga to their compound and then to his bedroom. I knew the way of rising in clans such as ours, so even though there wasn't much sympathy between us, he left to bring the tea and some snacks to host me.

I had to admit, it was nice for once to sit in a room that looked like a liveable place. When I was smaller, I used to be a little pedantic. Okay, quite a lot. It was something I probably had sucked out with my mother's milk, and even though my habits deviated during all these years, there was still some small part of me left that liked the order.

When he came back he handed me a cup with aromatic tea and sat vis a vis.

"Business," I said, and he nodded. At some level we understood each other perfectly.

"I need you to erase some of Hanabi's memories."

My eyebrow rose. "What?" That was getting more interesting by the moment.

"You heard me."

As much as half of me wanted to do it and get it over with, the other one (I blamed Naruto for its existence really) denied until I knew why.

So I asked: "Why? And what crime have you spoken about before?" Although, at that moment, I basically knew the answer already. Which actually only brought more, unnerving questions.

He smirked. "I see in your eyes you know well, Uchiha. What you really want to ask is, how do I know that. Easily – I was ordered to spy on you. Hokage isn't an idiot, she knew you may try to leave, and even though it wasn't likely - better safe than sorry. And she was right. I spied, but I never brought her the news. And now I am asking you to return the favour. In case you didn't want to, I will tell Hokage about your daughter's roots, and I will tell Naruto about your brother. I don't think you'd be thrilled if I did so, I wouldn't be thrilled if you denied my plea, because that implies much more problems for me right now. We're doing each other a favour."

"Funny way of understanding the favour," I noticed. "But I expected no less of you. I will do as you ask, but satiate my curiosity and tell me why you want to take such a drastic measure against her?"

Smart of him to avoid my eyes. I took a sip of the tea. Nice, bitter. If only he looked into mine for a moment I would spare myself the trouble and erase his memory instead.

"I don't know why I should tell you this," he said.

"So I could erase the memories the right way, without harming her in the process. The more I know, the easier and safer it becomes," I lied. Of course I could just scan her brain and pick all the things I needed, but it was for me to use and for him to believe otherwise.

He sighed. "Hinata won't come back. She ran away alongside Naruto, and she will stay away until the time comes, with him protecting her by all costs. We both know he will do so. She was smart taking him along, that way I can't really force her to come back. That means, when that man comes, he will want Hanabi, and she refused to agree because of me. She wouldn't care enough the other way, she is much stronger than her sister and actually able to deal with being an heiress of the Hyuuga clan," he muttered something under his breath I didn't really care to hear. "The problem is, I know that she realizes how important is that matter to both Konoha and Hyuuga clan, and after all, she will probably accept her duty with her head raised. And she will suffer. She's strong, but even she has some limits."

"Erase her memory of loving you so she would suffer less?" I asked.

"Yes."

I leaned my head on the hand. "It's as if you lied to her, you do realize that?"

"White lies, they call them. It's a big thing, I know. It's wrong, I know. But this is what I want for her - to have a chance of happiness and not a life full of regret and memories of what she had lost, wants and can't ever have. I don't know the man who she will marry, maybe he will prove enough to give her a decent life, maybe she will fall in love. I want to lie to her, if that's the chance I give her. Because I truly love her, Uchiha. Because I want to be able to call myself her friend. Friends care, try to spare the suffering, make sacrifices to grant happiness. This is what I want to do."

"Do you want to forget too?"

"No. Someone has to remember. With all the memories lost, what happened will be lost. And what we had deserves more than that."

I nodded in silence. I had no more questions left.

He stood up. "Give me three days."

-:-

As the evening came closer, I was done with bringing out debris from few rooms adjacent to my bedroom. I thought that physical work like this would help me relax mentally, but the pestering thoughts kept coming back. I had a nice mess in my life, and I realized that. Whatever there was between me and Naruto, I wasn't delusional – it was very important. It mattered to both of us, although I couldn't quite figure out what it was.

Could I be in love with him? I laughed at myself as this thought sounded through my mind. Ridiculous, in love with the dobe. But what else then? How could I name the feelings I had for him? The… physical attraction that I realized he evokes in me.

I guess it all started long ago, otherwise I wouldn't feel so… good after I've slept with him for the first time, after we did this now. Denial? Maybe. I used to live in denial about a lot of things, liking the dobe could be easily one of them.

I wandered aimlessly along the streets, hands in my pockets. I was too used to having a precise goal before me, so I felt a bit lost with it taken from away. But I didn't regret. Feeling lost was nothing compared to feeling empty. I didn't feel empty, I had new ways before me, a new life unravelling. A daughter, a family. For now, I had to solve the closest issues. The problem was I couldn't just fight through them with a nice Chidori or two.

It was during the time I spent with Orochimaru that I had started to have mature talks with my own self. Sometimes even aloud ones. It served me well. The hardest part was to realize when I try to lie to myself and when I'm denying what's happening. Once I dealt with that, my life became more understandable, and even though it was a lot more complicated, it was a lot more true at the same time.

I realized that my feet brought me to the door of Kakashi's apartment. Might as well come in. Having more decency than he, I knocked. Soon enough, the footsteps followed and my sensei opened the door.

"Sasuke? What are you doing here?"

"Honestly? No idea," I shrugged.

"Come on in," he ushered me inside. "Where's Naruto? I haven't seen or heard him lately, that doesn't happen often."

Something was amiss. I frowned and scrutinized Kakashi. He was wearing a bathrobe, but it wasn't that. I've seen him in a bathrobe before.

And then it struck me.

"You're not wearing a mask," I blinked.

He smiled. Weird?

"You think I wear it in the shower?"

"You know well what I think," well, hopefully, since I didn't.

Stupid little thing, and yet, to my amazement, I did feel kind of... excited. His face was completely normal, just a scar marred the corner of his lips. Why would he be always hiding his face?

All I got was a shrug. 'Figure it out yourself, I don't care.'

"Sandwich? I've got some left from lunch."

Why not. I followed him into the kitchen and seated myself on the floor, grabbing a sandwich from the counter. Kakashi wasn't used to having guests, and even if he had some, he didn't care enough to get an additional chair for their use.

Not that I cared.

"So, where did Naruto go?" he asked me again, taking a sip of something that smelled like sake (and therefore probably was sake, although I didn't think I've ever seen Kakashi drinking).

"Took Hinata out to spare her being a wife of some idiot."

"Not in the best of moods, are we now?"

I huffed. "I didn't know you drink."

"I don't. It's Tsunade's."

I raised my eyebrow. "What would her sake be doing in here?"

"Being stored. Or drunk. Depends. She forgot to take it the other day. She's having a hard period lately."

"Cause?"

"Jiraiya. She's had no news from him in a long time now. Of course, it could be nothing, but she still worries."

"You don't worry," I noticed.

"If I worried every time one of us doesn't report on time, I would die of stress and depression. The world's a dangerous place, you can die in your own house from slipping on the floor, getting stabbed by a vicious nail, or chocking on a fur-ball."

"How much sake have you had already?" I asked, but the answer was rather obvious – 'enough'. If he got drunk on what Tsunade had left him, I was beginning to wonder how much she brought in the first place.

"Some. You should too," he pointed. "Something's troubling you."

'Life's troubling me.'

He threw me a bottle.

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Lady Sake herself," he said, somehow coyly. "Hopefully she brings more or you'd better hide."

I heard the door open and close as he went to let her in, voices speaking, but I concluded this is not a Hokage visiting and I don't really need to get up and give her honours.

When she came into the kitchen with Kakashi, I only rose my hand in a greeting and took another bite of the sandwich. It was pretty good.

I watched, amused, as she unloaded her stack. I wasn't sure, but I had an impression she carried some of the bottles in her bra.

"I see you assumed there won't be much left?" Kakashi smiled.

"Che. You're in love idiot, it was obvious you'd down it all in no time."

I smirked as Kakashi made some weird noise. Drunk and in love. Right. As hell he would still care to keep a mask on. I couldn't wait to feed my dobe some bullshit about his face.

"So what's your problem?" I heard Tsunade ask as she pulled the bottle from my hands, replacing it with another, heavier one.

"I don't have problems," I spoke first thing to came to my head.

"Like hell you don't. Wandering around at night and then coming to your sensei's house, accepting sake while being an Uchiha? You wouldn't do this if you didn't have a serious problem."

'How much did she have, again?' I scowled.

"He's in love too," Kakashi said smiling, and I threw him a hard glare he didn't even notice.

But he should. If I have some more, I won't be able to glare so effectively anymore.

"Oh ,is he? With whom?" she asked interested.

"You don't even want to ask," Kakashi snorted.

She wouldn't want to hear about it either, that's for sure.

Wait a moment, I did have one bottle and I could FEEL I'm not thinking straight.

Actually, was I even sitting straight anymore? The table seemed to be placed at somehow weird angle, so one of us had to be drunk really.

"Is this just a sake?" I asked Tsunade and I heard her laugh.

"A little bit special. Effectivier."

'Wait, what? Oh, whatever.'

With every gulp I've taken, the conversation around seemed less logical (which would probably be true even without these) and less audible. I could hear Tsunade's worried words about Jiraiya. She suspected he was captured by Akatsuki.

Actually, I could look into that if I could move. I tried to, I really tried, but I had a feeling I only crawled a little to the side. At this rate they would eat him before I got there. Well, Zetsu would for sure, but I don't think Itachi likes meat all that much. He only likes blood. That sick beloved brother of mine.

But that wasn't all that bad actually, crawling was really entertaining. If only I could crawl a little faster, maybe I could still ask, right? But first I would have to remember who I wanted to ask and what about. I knew I wished real hard Naruto was around though, because right then and there, I could talk to him and tell him everything.

Yes, I had to get drunk again when he's around. It felt so nice and peaceful and I would really want to have sex with him. NO! I would want to talk to him. Talk. Explain. And tell him I don't like the fact that he's there with Hinata.

I think I took another sip, and I heard the voices mention Sakura's name. Right, Kakashi was in love with Sakura. That's good, she wouldn't pester me anymore, but that Hinata. I didn't like her, she was annoying. Actually, she could stay away from Konoha for good, but the problem was... Naruto was there with her.

I didn't exactly know why was it bad anymore, but I knew I want him here and that I really care about him, and all my day's ponderings were asinine, because suddenly everything was so clear.

Sans the world, which got real blurry.

And Naruto cared about Jiraiya, right? Oh! I had to go and ask Akatsuki about Jirayia. I crawled a bit forward...

"Shashke?" I heard someone cheerily mention my name. Twas some woman. "Shashuke, where are you... crawling to?"

"To ashk them bout him," I said. I wouldn't even try to bother speaking names longer than Sai. "Shai. Shai. Shai." Yes, short enough.

"Shai?"

"He means Sai," someone was too sober around here. I threw a squinty glare in general direction of the voice.

"It's Shai?"

"I'm not Shai," I answered the woman. What did she want from me?

"Obviously Sasuke," a strong arm caught me and picked me off the floor. "How do you feel?" I managed to look straight into the mismatched eyes of my former sensei.

"Cute."

"You're feeling cute?"

"Yesh, got a problem?"

"Let him be, Kakashi, he'll shmack you in the mornin'."

"Che. Let him "shmack" me, this is priceless."

Someone tugged harsh at my other hand and made Kakashi jump back for whatever reason.

"So I herd you liek Sake?" I asked her, grabbing bottle from the table.

"Indeed."

I didn't remember much after that.

-:-

"Sasuke..." someone whispered to my ear. "I think you should wake up and definitely get up."

He probably was right, but I knew two things – that my head hurt like a bitch and... that I was really comfortable and warm.

"Sasuke, I thought you would learn from your mistakes and not drink with women around anymore."

I cracked one eye open and glared at Kakashi. "What do you m-"

Indeed I was warm and comfortable, taking into account the fact that my head was resting comfortably on Tsunade's... pillowy chest.

I immediately got up and off Kakashi's bed (however I got there).

"Good thing I was here to keep an eye on you or otherwise, who knows..."

"Don't make me go violent or my head may burst to pieces. And take yours with it."

He chuckled.

"It was you who gave me that devilish drink in the first place!" I hissed at him angrily.

"Maa, don't be mad, Sasuke. One looks ugly when angry. Such a shame in your case."

I let out a low growl and made my way to the kitchen. I could at least take it out on his supplies.

-:-

The next few days I spent on cleaning further parts of the house (leaving polishing and dusting to Naruto, since those I couldn't stand) and every evening I went to Kakashi's and stayed for the night, usually talking, sometimes playing a game. I enjoyed his company even more now that I've grown up and understood more than before, and what mattered most, he was able to understand me and forgive every mistake, keep every secret.

Almost. When sober. Yeah.

From what I could only hear, that was what fathers do.

I was curious if three days made the Hyuuga change his mind. Even knowing how stubborn he could be, and how emotionally dense, I wouldn't be surprised if this time feelings got better of his reason.

But he came. As I was having my breakfast the doorbell rang and I went to open the door for him.

"You seem surprised to see me," he greeted me.

"A bit," I admitted. "Three days it's a lot of time to change your mind."

"It is a lot of time to realize what's my responsibility and deal with it," came the cold reply. "Follow me."

I did as he told me, wondering about Hanabi's outlook on a situation. She probably was more like Hinata still, able to be guided by her feelings instead of mind. I used to perceive it as a weakness, but today I would be a hypocrite if I said so. I barely did anything anymore based on reason.

Neji lead me back to his clan's complex and then found the way through the complicated rows of hallways. I didn't remember how it was to live in such a huge place anymore. Orochimaru's hideouts were all mazes of underground pathways, but all in all they weren't big, just designed in a way that suited perfectly to misleading any impostors.

"He comes to Konoha today," Neji told me, his voice quiet as if he was afraid someone could overhear him. "There's not much time to deal with it, I apologize for bothering you so early in the morning."

Was he serious? Or was it just me picking up on dobe's habits and beginning to deem them a normal thing instead of a proper behaviour I used to?

"I see."

As we wandered to the main part of the house I heard some yells and screaming.

"Father," Neji stated. "She probably told him already, damn it," he sped up his pace. "She said she will if I don't, I asked her to wait until I come back but apparently she, again, decided to do this her way."

"Hn."

So she wasn't just like Hinata. Good for her.

"If this is a crime, then fine! I'll take whatever punishment you find for me!" I heard the girl shout.

Neji paused just behind the wall to the room. Did I see hesitation on his features?

"I don't want to hear this, Hanabi!" Hiashi roared at his daughter. "Hinata will get her share when she comes back, and believe me, your marriage will be nothing compared to that!"

"You have no right to make me marry him! You have no way to force me to that! You can take away my freedom, but you can't take away my love!"

"How dare you oppose me in such a way!"

There was the sound of a slap, and the next moment Neji wasn't by my side anymore, but stood behind his uncle's back, holding his hand before he dared to touch her again. Hanabi backed off a step rubbing her cheek.

"Hanabi, please go with Sasuke-san while I sort this issue here," his eyes narrowed dangerously.

I wondered, would I ever be able to stand up to father like that? To disagree with him over something I cared about and he wouldn't care to hear and understand? Would I have enough guts to do so?

Hanabi nodded to Neji, her eyes not once meeting those glaring silver orbs of her father as she walked up to me.

"I will meet you both in my room, Sasuke-san. I trust everything will be settled by then."

I nodded. His decision was iron and not about to be changed. Even though he obviously was willing to risk anything to protect Hanabi from the punishment, he wouldn't risk his clan's honour for his love. Or hers, for that matter.

At that point, I realized his priorities were ones of mine from year back, where I would die to protect my friends, and yet I would kill them to avenge my clan. Clan above all, and I myself at the very bottom of the pyramid.

Hanabi and I walked towards Neji's room, she kept her eyes on the floor.

"You're not here because you're his friend, Sasuke-san. What is the reason?"

She walked into the room and took the bed.

"No, I'm not. We've made a deal. I've been having real problems recently due to the eye of mine implemented by Orochimaru. It probably has to do with the chakra flow coming to it. In exchange for a little favour, he agreed to allow me to look a little bit into the activated Byakuugan. It has nothing to do with the way it works or its secrets, just the chakra flow in the veins. I only need to figure out how to straighten it in a way and relieve the pain I'm having." There was a slight chance she wouldn't buy it, but still unlikely.

"And why is that a reply instead of some Uchiha burp I expected?" She smirked at me.

Che. No wonder Neji might have found her attractive.

"Because you could let me do this and I won't be wasting more of time in here. And yours. You obviously have important matters to take care of."

"And why would I believe you're not plotting something and made it all up?"

"Do you honestly think Neji would leave me alone with you if he had the slightest doubt about my intentions?" 'And wasn't desperate enough', I thought, but decided that it's really better to omit that part.

She was silent for a moment, before she spoke. She knew that I knew. I knew that, and that had to convince her. "No."

"Then activate it for me, I'll just look for a short moment, you won't feel anything."

"Right," she said jeeringly. "You sound like a doctor now, liar."

"Hn."

She activated the Byakuugan and to make an illusion of actually doing what I said I will, I placed my fingers gently on the puffed veins around her eyes. I activated my Sharingan and she immediately lowered her eyes.

"I need you to look at me, Hanabi. I'm not going to hurt you."

She hesitated for a moment, but then rose her eyes to mine. It took me just a moment to reach all her memories I needed to remove.

When I've finished she looked at me confused.

"Uchiha Sasuke? What are you doing here?" she asked me.

"Neji-san asked me to wake you up. The man will arrive soon."

She shook her head. "Gods! I must prepare myself to greet him!"

"Hanabi," I grabbed her hand and she turned on her heels to face me. "If you are ever unhappy, find Kakashi or me. Don't ask why, just remember."

Maybe I should have just erased it all just like Neji demanded. But the last moment I decided to just seal them away. If it comes to paying for that, I'll pay the price.

After all, it's worth the risk paying for ability to keep illusions of my own actions being the right things to do.

**II: THE HORNS OF DILEMMA**

**Naruto's POV**

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" I mumbled for entieth time. I wanted some damn frog here right NOW! Before I bleed to death from my bitten finger, dammit!

And YES, YES it worked!

"Finally!" I shouted.

"Finally!" shouted the frog.

"What?"

"Finally you've summoned me! Jiraiya has been captured, Naruto-kun!"

"WHAT?!"

"He was trying to escape with our help, but it seems like it's not going to work."

"Is he alright?" I felt my heart speed up to an unbelievable pace. Ero-Sannin!

"Yes, he's fine... which worries him even more actually."

"What? Why? Who's got him?" So many questions suddenly came to my mind I wasn't really sure which one to ask first, which one was more important.

"Akatsuki, of course. But as he faced that creepy pierced guy and lost, he was damn sure it's time to die. But something about command or order made him just being taken to the dungeon..."

"Why don't you run around in panic or something! That could help me think!"

"Think of what? You don't think you can just barge in there and get him, do you?"

"Why not..?! I'm immortal!"

"You're dead, not immortal."

"Whatever!"

"Naruto!"

"WHAT?!"

"You're not doing it."

What the hell again? Since when the frog became my father or something?

But I had to agree, it wasn't the smartest solution. Especially now, when someone was obviously meddling with my fate and my first guess would obviously be the Akatsuki.

I had to talk with Sasuke. Immediately. Sorry Hinata-chan.

I let the frog free and went back to the tent. Hinata was still feverish, but right now, I had no other choice but to take her back home. Maybe it would do some good to both us and Jiraiya-sensei.

"Hinata-chan," I shook her shoulder gently. "You need to wake up, Hinata-chan."

Her silver eyes opened slowly and she gave me a weak smile. "It's morning already?" She asked me.

"No, it's sunset now, but something has happened and I really need to go back to Konoha."

She blinked and rubbed her sleep-sticky eyes. "What has happened?"

"Doesn't matter, you shouldn't be worrying now. Come, take my sweater and I'll carry you back home," I reached to the backpack and took out a warm pullover I stole from Sasuke just before leaving. I hoped she wouldn't notice the small Uchiha fan on the sleeve.

"O-okay..."

I quickly packed all our things, leaving the tent where it was. I was sure Baa-chan can afford another one if she wouldn't have her sake for one day.

"Could you hold on to me if I took you piggy-back?" I asked Hinata. She was terribly pale, but I hoped she could make it. It would be a lot more comfortable that way.

"I-I think so."

"Great. That's the spirit. Come on." I crouched before her and helped her up. "On our way."

"Naruto-kun... what if my father forces me to... marry that man?" She asked me meekly.

"No way that happens, don't worry."

-:-

Running through the gates of Konoha I could barely feel my legs anymore. I was thanking gods for the decision of coming back, because just an hour ago, Hinata suddenly was struck by a seizure. She was trembling wildly as I carried her in my arms into the village. The guards yelled something after me, but I had no time to listen. I had to bring her to the hospital.

"Naruto-kun!" I heard Sakura's voice calling after me and I turned around while she ran up to me. "What happened? You're running as if the devil horde was on your heels!"

"Sakura-chan, bless you! Please, Hinata's... something's really wrong with her, could you take a look at her immediately? She's been feverish for some time now, but only an hour ago it began to get worse!"

"Sure, sure... Put her on the bench."

I did as she told me and she immediately started an examination.

"I... I don't know what's wrong with her, it seems like just a fever, but her entire body is shaking and these are not shivers... I can try to calm them down, but I don't see the cause anywhere."

"Please, Sakura-chan, do whatever you can to help her!"

"Okay..."

The green stream of chakra flew from her hands and surrounded the limp figure. Slowly, I saw the shaking indeed subside.

"She's asleep and her fever is still very high. She should be taken to hospital for observation. Maybe then some of the medics will be able to figure the cause. I need to run one errand for Tsunade Baa-chan, otherwise I'd do it myself."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll take her there right away! Thanks, Sakura-chan."

I picked Hinata back up and darted towards the hospital. Upon seeing me, the secretary swiftly removed herself from behind the desk with some urgent issue excuse (I don't wonder really, I wouldn't like to meet myself in the hospital usually either). And since my issue was urgent enough I made my way straight to the place where the free medics gathered for breaks.

"I need some help in here! Hyuuga Hinata, she's sick, feverish for days, had an attack of some sort an hour ago. Sakura-chan removed the trembling, but she didn't know what has caused them. Anyone?"

A woman stood up and motioned me to follow her. She frowned deeply when she started examining Hinata, her head titling to the side and eyes narrowing in concentration and effort. I saw Hinata's leg twitch suddenly, quickly followed by her hand.

"I think it may be starting again," I said quietly, and the medic rose her eyes on me.

"I know. I'm trying to figure out what causes it, please be silent."

"Sorry," I nodded.

"Tell a nurse to call her father, he must be here in case I need to ask him some questions."

I nodded again and immediately found some nurse to bring the message. I didn't enter the room again, deciding to wait for the news instead of disturbing the healer.

I felt the familiar presence of Sasuke nearing the hospital, someone must have told him I'm here already. But what was his business? I hoped nothing more happened.

"Dobe," a cold voice greeted me as he somehow sneaked up behind me. I turned around to face him, his eyes narrowed on me.

"What have I done this time?!" I pouted at his angry expression. "And don't even try to tell me I shouldn't be helping my friend in such need!"

He shook his head. "Nothing. You did nothing. I've had a rough time," he, well, apologized.

"Something happened?"

"No. But something has happened to you. What's wrong with Hinata?"

"Uh? The gossips have reached you already?"

"Not the gossips, the nurse you sent."

"I sent a nurse to Hiashi, don't tell me she confused you two!" I palmed my face. Some people were really dumb, weren't they?

"She didn't dobe. You're the only one to do things like this. Hiashi's not coming to see her, I came to see you though," he sat down on the chair and stretched his legs.

"Wait, what were you doing in the Hyuuga's complex?"

He rose an eyebrow at me. "Any business of yours?"

"Don't be such a bastard, bastard!" I snarled at him earning a smirk. "But you must have missed me if you came here," I teased him.

"Che. I didn't miss you, baka. You were off for a few days. I want to know what's wrong with the Hyuuga, you might have caught it too."

"What?"

"A flu, for example. I wouldn't want it as your trip gift for me."

Was he implying something? I sat on the chair beside him. It was funny, how suddenly just sitting near him was... pleasurable.

"She's sick and medics don't know the cause. If I were to catch it, I guess I would have it now," I said. "As long as she doesn't have any hallucinations of madmen, I guess it's not something contagious..." that part I only muttered, but Sasuke's ears perked up immediately.

"What madmen?"

"Actually a madman. And it might have not been just a hallucination... And I really really need to talk to you soon," I looked up at him. His eyes weren't mocking or angry anymore. I swear I could see concern in them.

Suddenly the door burst open and the medic woman tending to Hinata ran outside, screaming for some nurses to help and naming a string of weird medications I've never heard about before.

"She's in there?" Sasuke asked.

"Aye."

He stood up and went into the room. "Sasuke, I don't think you should disturb them."

"What's the problem with her?" he ignored my warning and came closer to the bed, frowning at Hinata, whose body was shaking again.

I heard the medical crew footsteps nearing us, but when two of the doctors came to the room and were about to chase us away, Sasuke rose his arm silencing them.

"What's the problem with her?" he asked them this time.

"We don't know, Uchiha-sama, that's the problem. Could you please leave, we must calm her down or she might get hurt!"

He lifted one of her eyelids and I saw his eyes widen.

"Call Tsunade."

"We might have found the sol-"

"CALL TSUNADE NOW!" he yelled. "Or she WILL die."

"Sasuke, what's the matter with her?" I asked shakily as one of the doctors rushed out to get the Godaime to come here.

"What madman, Naruto?" he turned to me, his face beyond serious. By the corner of my eye I saw the stream of foam coming out of Hinata's lips. "What madman do you speak about?"

"I... I don't know! He looked like... I mean... He..."

"Take those medications away, they can only hurt her," he said. "The cause isn't physical."

"How can you tell that just by looking at her?"

"He was an Uchiha..." I mumbled my eyes widening in sudden realization. "Sasuke," I whispered to him so that medic wouldn't hear. "Whoever he is... Is he in Akatsuki?"

"It wasn't Itachi."

"I know, I know. But tell me."

"Yes."

The game has begun. And the first part was revealed.

A choice.

-:-

**A/N: **Okay, so that's it for part one. Any confusion will be explained in later parts, this one should be treated as a kind of a prelude to the ensuing ones. There will be definitely a lot of more plot in these.

Make me an early Christmas gift and review, please :)


	43. Family Portrait II: Meaning of 'to Love'

**A/N: **So the writer's block won and despite my good will I didn't write it as soon as I had promised (actually I wrote it A LOT later for what I'm sorry). But here it is and I hope you people are still here to read it.

**-Chapter Forty T****wo-**

_- __Family Portrait -_

**III: THE MEANING OF "TO LOVE"**

**S****:** "I can't help her," Tsunade rose her eyes from Hinata's, now unmoving, figure. "Some parts of her brain seem to be shut down or distorted. Who did this to her, Naruto?" she directed the question to the dobe, but her eyes laid on me, even if she didn't mean for it.

"It doesn't matter," I threw her a harsh glare. "If you can't help her there's nothing more to be said."

"Sasuke..." Naruto whispered.

"I'm sorry, dobe."

"Sasuke, we need to talk," he clutched my sleeve and I could feel his hand shaking. "But not here," he spoke to my ear.

I nodded and allowed him to take me out of the hospital room. Following the hallway, he was unnaturally quiet.

"Naruto, what is it?" I asked him, feeling unnerved by his behaviour. Hinata was dying, I expected him to be crying or raging around over her bed, refusing to leave, cursing her family, anything.

And yet he just turned silent, asked about things he had no reasonable way of knowing.

"Not here... I need something to drink first."

For once I agreed to do as he wished. We walked back home and only when he sat down with the glass of cold water, did he calm down enough to look me in the eyes with some sort of conscious look.

"Now tell me, dobe," I demanded. "What is all this?"

"I... I don't know, alright?" He said, in his voice some wavering. "There's... something more has happened, Sasuke. Jiraiya's been captured by the Akatsuki."

"When?" I asked surprised. "How do you know?"

"A frog told me. While I was away with Hinata and she got sick, I wanted to get some help, but it wasn't working. The moment it did, that's the message I got."

**N:**How much should I tell him? How much is too much and would mess up any plans I could create? Or maybe he would fix the failures I could do? This was all... too much. I wasn't a plotting genius, I couldn't see what my actions can lead to, the alternatives I could create.

To tell him about the game seemed to be way too risky though. How would he react, I wondered? Anger, disappointment, rage? I shouldn't risk it. Not yet.

"So he's still alive," Sasuke said nodding to himself.

"Yes. Yes, I hope so badly... I mean, I know he has been spying on them, I know how dangerous it was but after all this mess, I can't truly understand any of this anymore! Itachi," I felt weird twist in my gut. It wasn't totally unexpected though, "he's not who I thought he is. Deidara was the one to help save your life, Konan is... family in a way, isn't she? The bunch of criminals I wished dead suddenly stopped being so... obvious. I don't know what to think anymore. And now... Ero-Sannin is taken prisoner and... dammit..."

**S:**I understood him well, yet still, for me, it was easier to cope with. I myself couldn't see the world in black and white as Naruto used to, for me shades of grey were all I had. Madara has obviously made some move, I had no doubts it's him who assured Jiraiya's life and that he didn't do it for nothing. Same went for Hinata, I knew of no other who could damage her brain in this particular way.

And so he was the only one to fix her. And let the Sannin go. He wished to play some sort of game, manipulate us into following his plans, but what was it that he wanted I had yet to find out. And I would soon. He wanted me to come to him, otherwise he wouldn't pick the people Naruto cared about. He knows what card to play, that's for sure.

"His name is Madara," I said silently, watching dobe's reaction to see when he betrayed some more information he had. I felt in my guts he isn't telling me everything for some reason. But if Madara has entered the stage, I had to be careful. Sometimes not knowing something could work better, no matter how badly I wished to know everything and work it out alone. "Tell me what has happened, what do you know of him?" I asked, giving him lots of room to pick what he felt like telling. If I deemed something necessary to know right now I'd try to get this out of him.

He was silent for a moment, thinking about what to say. That alone told me that there is more going on than I can truly expect. If he made Naruto actually THINK, it had to be something big.

"I hardly know anything, but the fact is, he has Jiraiya and he is responsible for what happened to Hinata-chan, but you know it too. It's not like I went to the restaurant with him and we talked."

Obviously. But you did talk.

"As curious and worried as I am right now, dobe, I won't prod you to tell me everything right now. I know you're hiding things, I know you have much more to tell than what you will, but whatever the reason is, I choose to trust you, you know what you're doing by staying silent," I said.

If the events were to unfold in some unpredictable, for me, way, I'd rather have him know I trust him and therefore hope that he will trust me, if the need comes. Our past wasn't exactly encouraging trust, not from his side, anyway.

**N: **His answer really surprised me. Was it really Sasuke? The one who always needed to know everything that's going around even if it would get him killed? How could he just ask one simple question and then go all 'whatever, I trust you'?

"Nothing bad has been said between us, nothing that would bring you any harm!" I said suddenly feeling touched for some reason.

Yet again as realized my words and tone, and I expected him to bark at me for the possible over interpretation. But he didn't.

"You know I don't mean that, and you know I'd never think you would. You know that I know you too well for that."

I gaped at him for the moment.

"You're so... serious. Emotionless. Sasuke..." I wanted to ask him what's wrong but I realized on time how stupid that question would really be.

"It's... more than it was with Orochimaru, with any village war we could have to face. Forgive me for saying this, but it's even probably more to be concerned about than Jinchuuriki hunt Akatsuki's been up to."

"Why?" I asked him. "Why is this so bad, Sasuke?"

"Because, I have no idea what it does lead to, what the stakes are and rules of the whatever game Madara wants to play with us. When it was Orochimaru, it was about power, revenge, destroying Konoha. Jinchuuriki, you know best yourself. Until only one was left, there was no huge concern," I winced at insensibility of his words. He could have no idea how terrible it was to us to be hunted upon, to have the demon extracted. But I could understand. His mind was nowhere near compassion right now, and... well, he was different. All he's been through made him different and he just didn't care about some things and probably didn't even realize he should. "But right now, things may happen every moment, and where the strike will come nobody knows. For now, I think we will agree, Hinata and Jiraiya have to be saved. This is the only step he's taken I know about, and even though thinking forward is necessary, dealing with present is more crucial."

"I agree," I nodded, feeling of insecurity twisting my guts. Not only did that whole case with Madara suddenly pop up and destroy my inner peace, but now Sasuke was acting so unusual, taking away my feeling of something stable, something I could hold on to.

I shook those thought away even though the feelings never left. There was a move to make in that sick game of his. At least, that's what I suspected. I hoped this isn't the thing he's been talking about, but I couldn't risk, not here, not anymore.

"Sasuke, what are you up to?"

"I need to talk to him," he said.

"Him who?"

"Both of them actually."

All clear. Itachi and Madara.

"Why? What will you say?"

"I will try to get to know what is this about, at the same time not forcing you to screw things up," I wanted to hear a derisive comment following that sentence, even if it was just a short 'like you always do,' but even THAT didn't come! Just a... concerned gaze. "I will go and meet them, I'll talk. I'll save Hinata and ensure Jiraiya's safety. It's not likely they'll let him go anyway. We may have met them, the relationship may be weird and uncertain, but for Konoha they're still enemies. For Jinchuuriki, they're still killers. That has not changed. And will not, I'm afraid."

"I know! I know! That's why it's so confusing..."

"That's why things are all the more complicated. Without having précised enemies, without having known allies, fighting with Madara is... near impossible. Whatever you know Naruto, try to find out more."

'You're telling me... It is I who's been told I need to find all the rules and hidden meanings if I want to save your ass... Or rather your mind's ass before you go completely nuts and project yourself a nice Orochimaru.'

"Sasuke... in case Madara asked you for what I've said... If I told you anything for him, tell him, please..." I paused for a short moment not sure if I can phrase it. That was a stupid thing to do, because with the silence the deeper realization came and I couldn't help but imagine how will it be if that's exactly what he meant. If this is my choice I have to make. "Tell him, I want Jiraiya to live, even I have to pay a high price for this."

He titled his head to the side, but I wasn't telling him anything. If he were to learn about why did I say it, it would not be from me. Never. No matter how much I trust him, how much I love him, and maybe even more because of that.

Theoretically I had no choice, but then some say there's always a choice to make and even though for me every decision seems wrong, it could be proven that hadn't done enough. That I could play it differently.

It was driving me insane! All those ifs, and what could be and what could I do and if I choose right, and where the trick lies... Insane!

"I will," he replied calmly, and I was almost sure he did see what I've done, but he wouldn't ever say anything about it either. Because, I think, he loved me too. And so he would always let me stay in ignorance about some things, not to hurt me, not to embarrass me. That had changed, and as much I loved our pure rivalry right now, I was grateful and happy, that at some level it was gone. That we weren't about making each other feel weird or uncomfortable. Hurt. Not anymore.

"Please... Sasuke, I want you to have something..." I came closer to him and put a ring I've been holding for the past few days a in his palm.

He brought a little ring of white gold and three rubies on the top closer to his eyes. "Where do you get it from?" he asked.

Obviously, someone like me could not ever afford a thing so valuable.

"I don't know. I have since always, I've been hiding it for years so nobody stole it, and now it's yours."

"It's a gift from your parents, isn't it?"

"It Probably is. I always assumed it was. Please, have it."

**S: **Refusing that request would be like slashing him with a sword. As much as I didn't want to take his family memento, I wouldn't hurt him like that. I put the ring on my finger and he smiled at me.

"I love you, please, PLEASE, bastard, don't do something reckless. Promise?"

"Promise."

He worried. Of course he worried. I wasn't going to meet friends only. And who knew if that was not a trap?

But I had to go there and I had to see what's going on. And I was sure at some level Naruto knows it as well.

-:-

**Naruto's POV**

_I didn't expect this night to be calm, to be honest. I was not surprised when I 'woke up' to find myself in one of my weird, Kyuubi's-dealings induced dreams. Which kind, I had yet to find out, the world around was dark, and the only thing I could feel for a moment was concern about Sasuke. He went to the dragon's lair, while I stayed here, in the safety of Konoha._

_To be honest though, I'd rather be out there and trying to do something, risking my very existence, than sit helplessly, tormenting myself about all the events and unsolved riddles I've been buried under. But if I learned anything at all from the time of my training, especially under Kakashi, was that team work was often the way to solve problems._

_I couldn't really stop Sasuke from going. He would, sooner or later. I knew though, I couldn't risk losing both Jiraiya and Hinata because I was too cautious. I was never cautious, but this time the difference was I, being safe myself, (for now anyway, after all, I die in the end of the shown scenario) was bartering the lives of others. It completely changed my ways of thinking and therefore – way of acting._

"_You saw..." I heard the silent whisper coming somewhere from the dark, and only then I realized I'm in a room with only one window. The fading ray of moonlight was the only light source around, which explained why didn't I see anything just moments before._

"_That doesn't matter," another familiar voice replied. Even though it was just a dream, my eyes needed to get use to the darkness and only after a moment did I start to notice the shapes surrounding me._

_Two silhouettes laying on the bed, one unmoving, the other one leaning a little bit towards it, with the hand brushing gently over the companion's head._

"_Why?"_

"_So I suffered."_

"_You remember it all..? All of that?"_

"_Yes, I do, Sasuke," Itachi's voice pierced the silence once again and I heard a sigh._

"_I don't... I don't remember any of these... I've... my mind has rejected all these memories... Everything he's done to me. What did he do to put me through such a shock? I could never imagine something could still shock me to the point of... of this...__ I don't want you to know... I can't imagine but I'm pretty sure I do not want you to know..."_

"_Shh..." the hand gently stroked the face of Sasuke. Were they tears, that glistened in the silver shine? "It changes nothing, nothing would change it," he leaned gently for a kiss. "Whatever you've done, it wasn't you, it wasn't because that was your will."_

"_Don't tell him. Don't ever tell him. I couldn't bear him to know."_

"_Of course. Sleep Sasuke," he pulled his younger brother up into an embrace and the silence fell around._

_The dream continued for quite some time, but all I could see were Itachi's open red eyes and Sasuke's limp figure in his arms, covered in white bandages, soaked in blood in few places._

-:-

**Sasuke's POV**

I sat vis a vis that man, trying not to kill him where he stood. He knew I was coming, he met me before I even reached the hideout, taking me there in a way that allowed me to avoid my brother. Having Itachi know I've met Madara and probably made some kind of deal with him was nowhere on the list of my desired things.

"What do you want?" I more stated than asked, my teeth clenched as I tried to keep the venom out of my voice. But the anger caused by him using Naruto was barely kept away from unleashing.

He smirked. "That's a question I can't give you just one answer to. And I won't. I don't have to explain things to you so widely as Naruto required it, I'll tell you simply, I'm playing the game. And all you can do is to figure out the rules and stakes. If you ask me the right question, I may just as well give you a desired answer. What I want though, isn't such a question. Why is that you came to talk to me?" Madara leaned comfortably across the soft crimson armchair and sighed deeply. He looked content, whatever was going on, it seemed that as of now, everything was just according to his plan.

Whatever that plan was.

Yes, I wasn't the dobe. I knew pushing him and asking futile questions would lead nowhere. The sooner I grasped what it's about and got out of this place, the better. I wasn't really glad to leave Naruto alone in such a situation. He's been manipulating his mind, and I always thought that once your mind is gone, you may just as well give up. Because without sanity, there's absolutely nothing you could trust anymore. And that only leads to tragedy.

"Hyuuga Hinata," I said simply knowing it will clarify the case. "Jiraiya. I'll take my guess and say I've come here to barter, have I not?"

"No, as a matter of fact, you've came here to deliver Naruto's message to me. There's no deal to be made for their lives, he knows this. Don't you?"

I narrowed my eyes. "No."

"I see. So he's managed to keep his mouth shut even before you. That is indeed surprising to me."

"Explain," I demanded.

"I won't explain anything to you, Sasuke. The only thing I can assure you of, the only thing I'll give you to help, is the promise, I'll never lie to you. But that also means the answers you'll be getting are going to be very limited."

I reminded myself of the last words Naruto said to me before I left. Could it be connected with the victims?

"Is Jiraiya alive?"

"Yes, he is," he nodded lightly.

"His condition?" I could expect everything.

"Good enough. All his parts intact and so is his brain."

"What have you done to the Hyuuga?"

A chuckle followed and I swear, the devil could chuckle like that.

"Nothing you could fix, Sasuke-kun. You don't live long enough to know the secrets I posses, to have such power. Tell me, what did Naruto say to you, or didn't he say anything?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It wasn't that hard to figure out really, but I wished to stay in denial for just one moment more, if that was all I could get.

"He wants you to save Jiraiya," I said silently, and when I opened my eyes back I was faced with the smug grin. "That mean she dies, doesn't it?"

"I must admit, I truly do, that I was not expecting him to act like that. Actually I was pretty sure this time, they both will die. Seems like he's way more than he looks like, being able to choose, being able to make you deliver such message to me, understanding it only when we talk. Although I guess he didn't mean for you to understand it ever. Do you?"

"No," I answered simply. He didn't. He would never want me to know he's made such choice, condemning the friend of his to die.

He would rather sacrifice himself than let this happen if he wasn't fighting for something bigger.

What could possibly be the ace? What could make him so obedient, lose his always disagreeing, fighting spirit that never gives up until everyone's safe and sound?

"Yes, she dies," Madara told me.

"How much time does she have?" I asked Naruto's question, rephrasing it so it was clear, now that I knew anyway.

"I don't know," he scratched his chin as if he was thinking about the word for a crossword riddle. "I think, actually, I may allow YOU to decide."

"What?" I failed to hide the question before it left my lips.

"A month tops," he told me. "You may though choose to kill her earlier, if you deem it right. Play the god, Sasuke. Don't you love it?"

I would not be taunted.

"You were wrong before."

"When?"

"I have come here to barter with you. Not for the lives of Hyuuga or Jiraiya, but for the soul of my friend."

"You've got my interest."

I fisted my hands. His arrogant tone was driving me mad.

"I want him out of your sick game. It is fun for you. You may play these game with your fellow criminals, but for Naruto, the death of a stranger can be a personal tragedy. I will NOT allow you to make him go through the choices or actions like these. Messing with his brain, screwing up his emotions. It will destroy him, you know this. And I know this. And you know that I will not let you do this. Is that why you did this little test in the first place?"

He laughed again. "Smart, aren't you? Or maybe you just know your kind a little bit too well?"

"Name your price and let's finish this conversation."

"No redundant questions, that's what I like so much about you. A month will be the price. You give me a month, and I won't force Uzumaki to do anymore of these choices, to kill anyone or hurt people close to him. That's what you demand as your part, yes?"

"Yes," I nodded. He would give me what I want. Destroying Naruto's mind and innocence is not the most interesting and desired thing for him. He did it to gain something else. "A month of what?"

"Of you. I need to run a few experiments, I want to see how things work. I want to have some real fun," a wild sparkle appeared in his eye. A sparkle that said clearly 'I won.'

"You won't manipulate my mind into hurting anyone I should not. This is my condition."

"Of course, that's not my plan."

"I agree."

"Won't you even ask what I want to do to you?"

"No. I'm not interested."

"You two..." he shook his head. "Angels of sacrifice. This is going to be amazing."

"I'll come when she dies."

"Come. I believe you'll keep your promise."

I will. The stakes were obviously too high.

-:-

**A/N:** Review, please. I need your opinions!


	44. (::AN::) Author

**A/N:** I'm sorry guys. I can't write this anymore. I hate to update every few months, and by the way things go the periods between updates would just get longer and longer. I am closing this fanfiction and I sincerely apologize to each of you, my readers, who beared with me so long. I loved your support and had it not been for it, I would leave this thing long ago. But both the situation in my real life right now, and the fact that I've stopped feeling this fanfic's spirit made me finally decide that I should stop writing it and not shamefully drop quality and frequency of updates.

I wish to pose one more question though: Since I have the entire plot planned out, I can post it all in one, short chapter, tying the events, closing the action. Should I do this? Or should I leave it to yours, readers, imagination? Or do you have a different suggestion I could follow?

Once again, thank you for all the support, and last, but not least, HUGE thanks to **Jade Ookami**, my beta, who not only fixed my wacky English, but also helped with me providing canon-spoilers, I sometimes used (and was about to) in various parts of the story. Thanks (hug)!


	45. (::AN::) Summary

**A/N:** I've gutted this chapter for now. If I fail to complete the story, I'll write a new summary. I'm gonna change a lot anyway. I'm leaving few insides here for the sake of remembering what I thought, wanted and shit, but I took away all the synopsis :) In all honesty, I don't think it made all that much sense ;o (seriously, I've read VoD synopsis thrice and didn't get what I meant... genious). And it left SO many loose ends, duh. If I'll finish the story, I'll tie them all up neatly.

If someone's reading this, feel free to tell me in review which (whose) minor plot you'd like to see concluded/explained. Aside the obvious ones, of course. I'd like to leave nothing hanging this time. If I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do this right. Cheers!

* * *

**A/N: **I truly regret I've lost interest in this story. I've had quite a few nice, at least to me, ideas and motives, I, unfortunately, cannot use in this form of a plot briefing. At first I wanted to do it in more 'diary/memory-like' form, but that only lead to "tomorrow, next week, next month, sometime else". That's actually why it's here so late. Oh well, I barely motivated myself to write this in this form anyway, I guess, I shouldn't whine. As I promised:

**1. Value of Dreams**** I**

**2. ****Value of Dreams II**

**3. ****A Plan so Cunning you Could Call it a Weasel**

**4. ****Price to Pay**

**5. Fixing Reality**

**6.**** Fading Promises**

**7.**** Better Safe than Sorry**

**8****. Something Ends, Something Begins**

**A/N:** I'm glad I had so much fun writing this and knowing there are those who liked my work. I thank you all for that time spent on writing this fanfiction. It's over now, yet if for some reason someone wished to adopt the story and finish it the proper way, send me a message. Be it now or in two years, I do and will wish for this piece to have a better ending. Thanks again for this experience, peeps :)


	46. (::AN::) A word from the Grand Beyond

_**A word from the Grand Beyond…**_

_[for the lazy: read what's in** bold **first]_

Where Grand Beyond is 5 years in the future. Hello. I don't know if anyone will still get this message, it seems like forever has passed since I last looked at it.

So why am I here all of a sudden? :D

Three days ago I received a notification in my inbox about a review for this story of mine. I get them every once in a while, they always make me smile, if only because of nostalgia.

But this time my reaction was different. I thought: hey, I don't remember jack from this story! What was it even about exactly?

Hm, I thought.

Hm, I thought again.

And then I started to read it. Remembering. Feeling SO DAMN nostalgic! The language was terrible, especially before I got my beta reader. I kept fixing the mistakes in my mind all the time, and yet I couldn't stop reading :D

At times, I thought 'that's just dumb', at times I thought 'did I seriously write it? THE BALLS, where are my balls now?' at times I winced and thought 'I'd so do it differently now'. But all in all, you know what? I HAD FUN. A lot of fun, in fact.

**And said fun had me start toying with an idea of finishing this thing up.** Slowly, at my own pace, for my own self [because 5 years from now I might want to read it and I'll get MAD at myself again for leaving it unfinished like I did just now XD].

**The question is hence, if I do that, should I post the crap I write here?** Or is there nobody left around and I should just keep it to myself, hah? :D

I am out of the fandom, completely. I haven't seen, read or done anything Naruto in years, years, years. I guess not since I finished with this thing. I have no idea what's going on in the canon, nor do I really care. If I went on, I would go on with the notions of the past. The fic was so long anyway it became it's own alternate path creating a cononesque AU. And so I don't know if it's worth sharing it with others or if I should just write it (or not write it if I flake out lol) for my future self alone and spare me some bitching in the years to come ;)

So yes. Last thing. **To any ghosts lurking around: thank you.** Thank you for supporting me, reviewing this thing, making me want to write it cause I had a blast, I've learnt a ton about writing and well - I spend past two days reliving my past nostalgia. It was awesome :D

And now a dirty fact, I was too proud to admit in the past: what killed this fic was lack of reviews. It was. I've got less and less and only after I finished it did the people speak up. It was too late though : I really needed to know people were reading it and liking it to keep me going. Blame it on the zodiac! So yeah, that's out. Take that, little me. I spilled your prideful secret!

HUEHUEHuE.

Peace, fluffies.


	47. Value of Dreams

**Monstrous A/N (I have a few things to say): **Haaaai~! It's been forever. Previous chapter/note should explain what happened if you care. Long story short, I decided that if even one person wanted to read my jibber jabber (intended for my own sake), I'll post what I write for them to see. So cheers to you, honey, hope I won't disappoint! After all, I'm sure I've changed quite a bit, I hope I can keep the level, even though I'll have to base everything on what I've read in this very fic. I can't remember anything from the canon, haha. Way too long, dudes, way too long. _The plot will differ from what was described in the "Summary". Some things will stay similar, but in general it's going to be a whole different ending._

**Warnings**: I'm gonna post this once and it applies to all the chapters that follow in general (some here some there). **Mature themes**, I might write a lemon (or lemons if my heart so desires), it's not going to be overly explicit. **Incest warning**, yes, it's been here before but I won't beat around the bush anymore. If someone missed it, they won't miss it now. Um, what else? I think that's it... I don't plan on describing some terrible gore, I hate that stuff, but **some bloody descriptions** might happen. And **FLUFF**. Maaan, this fic needs some fluff so brace yourself for some **cheese and cotton candy!**

* * *

**[I won't place A/Ns at the end of the chapters anymore before the Ending/Epilogue. Instead, I'll paste it here, cause it really doesn't go well with this chapter's ending]**

Few more chapters will follow (not telling you how many, but I got them planned out now).

You know, I forgot how reviews felt. I don't expect many people to come back here, but if you do, let me know. I'd love to know you're here. If nothing else, just type ":)" or ":(" or ":[" or even " (^0^) ". Or tell me how you hate me for abandoning this story before.

Either way, take care and see you soon! I have a ton of stuff IRL that I need to take care of, so I'll try to finish this unfinished business of mine as quickly as possible. Let's see how that goes.

* * *

**- Chapter Forty Seven -**

_- Value of Dreams -_

**Sasuke's PoV**

'I'll come when she dies', those words, last words I spoke to him, still resonated in my mind. I was sitting on the bench alone as he went to fulfill his part of a deal. I was trying to process what just happened, what Naruto had just done. He had to know, he knew what the game was and he chose between one of his friends. He condemned Hyuuga to death.

How could he have done this? This was so... not him. I had to talk to him and soon. Did he have a plan? Or was he delusional? I hoped it was either of both, because the thought of him being able to make a choice like that made my insides twist.

I could've crossed this boundary. Not him. Not Naruto. Be what may, I couldn't let him continue with this blasted game. I suspected from the start that Madara only used him to get to me, he wasn't the one to feel like dealing with Naruto for longer. He was too simple, too predictable.

There was no fun in that.

This whole thing, I didn't like it one bit. I should've asked Madara what his plan was, but... I think I was scared? I just didn't want to know. I had a goal, I'd go and follow it, I couldn't think too much, I couldn't doubt myself. Not when the stakes were this high.

I heard footsteps approaching. Slow, heavy. I turned and saw Jirayia walk out of the compound, shielding his eyes from the light. He was wearing dirty rags and as he neared me I smelt he spent quite some time in them. He looked disoriented, confused.

"Uchiha Sasuke," he said as he neared me and I stood up. "I don't know what's going on here, but I'm in no condition to question anything."

"Good," I nodded. I was in no condition to explain anything. "Follow me to Konoha."

He nodded and we were on our way.

Should I have let him go and stayed to try and learn anything more about the plans? Could I maybe find Itachi, talk, try to understand? But what would Madara do if I tried to break my word. Somehow, I felt that even Itachi had no power over his actions.

No, it was too risky. I had to play carefully, calculate my every action. Try to understand without letting him know I was thinking at all.

-:-

Each time I crossed the gate to Konoha I expected a group of armed ANBU to come and seize me, but nothing like that happened. The guards eyed us warily, but didn't move an inch. Jirayia stopped and took a deep breath.

"I thought I'd never see this place again. Why didn't they kill me?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. Any suspicions I might've had were better left unsaid. "Hospital?"

"No," he shook his head. "Hokage's tower," he nodded towards it.

The moment I opened the door I heard a deafening crash. Hokage's desk tumbled down as she jumped from behind it ran towards us. I quickly sidestepped out of the way. By the wall I saw Naruto. He froze, pale.

"He's back," he whispered as I approached him.

Tsunade fell to her knees before Jirayia and weeped from relief. "Kami, I thought they killed you! I thought they tortured you!" she grabbed his sleeve and pulled herself back up, smiling and swaying just a little.

"She's so happy," Naruto said. "Look."

"Naruto."

"I know you know."

"We have to talk," I said.

"Yes," he agreed. "But let me watch. I need this."

He watched Tsunade lead Jirayia to the couch in the corner of the room, she sat on the side of it and started cleaning his face with a wipe. They were saying something to each other, but neither of us could hear the words.

"I'll be at home," I told Naruto.

He nodded. "I just... a moment. I need a moment."

"I know."

"Sasuke," Tsunade turned to me suddenly.

I stopped and looked at her.

"Thank you. Whatever you did, thank you."

Don't thank me, I thought, but only bowed my head then left the building.

-:-

**Naruto's PoV**

Talk. We had to talk. Of course we did. He knew, he must've realized what happened. He didn't know the whole story, but how hard could it be to add two and two together?

Sasuke was waiting for me in the garden. He was sitting on the grass, he rose his eyes at me as I approached him.

"What's the plan?" he asked me.

"Is there any?"

"How did you choose? How were you able to choose?"

"I hoped... I hoped someone would have a plan?" I answered meekly.

"You knew nobody did."

"I... he... when we talked, he was clear. Either I choose one, or I lose both. What could I have done, Sasuke? What? I could've stalled, postponed, procrastinated and look for a solution, but would it work? Or would they both be gone now?" I felt my hands were shaking. "Maybe... maybe if I satisfied him, made a choice, I thought maybe... I would pass this sadistic test, maybe he would spare her? Is that possible?"

"No, Naruto, he doesn't care for her, or for Jirayia or anyone else. They're tools to serve his purpose," I said. "He won't save her. This part is done for him."

"I don't believe this, Sasuke, you're wrong!" I shouted in denial and hit the ground. But I knew he was right. "I just..." I looked at him desperate. "I couldn't imagine Baa-chan losing him. I couldn't ME losing my sensei. How could I have chosen? How could I have just not... just..."

He put his hand on my knee, somewhat awkwardly, as if not sure it was the right gesture. "You thought they would both live if you played the game," he said as if he tried to convince me about something. "You didn't think she would die, even if you knew, deep down, that it could happen."

I nodded and looked at his hand resting on me. He twitched to take it away, but I held it in place.

-:-

"_Naruto, she's awoken," I heard someone say as they shook my shoulder. "Naruto, wake up."_

_I opened my eyes and was greeted by hospital halls. "Sakura-chan?"_

"_Yes. Hinata's awake."_

"_I fell asleep."_

"_Mhm."_

"_Naruto, I... I think there's something you should know."_

I remembered my talk with Sakura. It was two days ago. As we were going it kept coming back to me over and over again. But the road was over, and before us I saw the most beautiful garden. I've been here before, somewhat. I followed Sasuke here as a ghost, but I never stayed. This time, I would.

We were greeted by the hermit Eda and I explained to him how we knew about this place.

Hinata looked around, her silver eyes gleaming with mirth at the beautiful sights. She was better, or rather she felt better, but Sasuke told me the damage was not reversed, she was still dying.

'Madara is a sadist', he told me, 'everything is his game.'

And he was right. Watching Hinata so lively, as if she was fine, as if she wasn't dying at all, it was, in a way, a torment bigger than if she was left in her coma.

-:-

"_She loves, you Naruto," Sakura said. "She's been in love with you for years."_

I was an oblivious idiot. No other way to say it. How could I have been that blind? I always thought that contrary to popular belief I wasn't really that dense.

I was wrong, wasn't I?

We were lying on the grass and gazing into the stars. Few days have passed and she looked healthy as ever and only at nights, when Eda checked her chakra when she was asleep, did I learn of her degenerating condition. It was unreal. Just as unreal as the time we spent here. Eda knew the whole truth, but neither of us told Hinata. That was not the point of these weeks. Not at all.

She snuggled close to me and smelled a flower growing beside us. "This place is so beautiful," she said more to herself than to me. We were both exhausted after the day spent on running, playing ball, climbing trees and just... having fun. Every now and then I forgot. About everything.

"Hinata-chan, you know, if I knew that you liked me like this," I grinned at her. "I would never refuse to marry you. Sure, the paperwork, my uh, condition, and all... but who needs paperwork?"

"What are you saying?"

I tilted my head and looked at her. She was blushing like crazy. It was... cute.

It was nothing. It was not wrong. How could it be wrong?

"Marry me, Hinata-chan. Right here. Right now."

-:-

"_Two weeks, Dobe, maybe three. Not more, not the way it goes."_

I repeated the words of vows after Eda, smiling at Hinata, looking into her eyes, but if I were to be honest, I could barely hear what I was saying. I could think of two things only. Her, dying. And Sasuke.

"You may kiss the bride," I heard and I picked her up in an embrace, kissing her like I did many times over the past week. She was wearing a wreath of leaves and flowers we picked outside the gardens earlier. Some were attached to her dress.

"You're so beautiful, Hinata-chan," I grinned and turned around with her in my arms. She was light as a feather.

She smiled.

But neither of us said the words.

Neither of us said 'I love you'.

-:-

"_She loved you more than she ever loved her family. She gleamed when you were around. Don't tell me you never noticed, baka?"_

Eda was nowhere near. It was just the two of us. Hinata was lying in my arms, silent for hours. She couldn't get up, I knew that.

"Naruto-kun," she said suddenly.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"What for, Hinata-chan?" I tried to grin, but my heart was clenched, my lips curved but my eyes wouldn't smile.

"Everything. I just... there's one more thing I'd like..."

"Anything."

She knew. She could feel it. She was a ninja, a Hyuuga, there was no way her condition would fool her.

"I want to know..." she hesitated and turned her head up to look at me. "I want to know whom do you love. Because it isn't me."

"That's a pile of crap!" I exclaimed, too loud, my heart started racing. "I love you, Hinata-chan, how can you say that?"

"N-no, no, I didn't mean... I m-mean," she started stuttering again and I felt guilty about my small outburst. I stroked her head to calm her down. "I mean, whom do you love... like... like this. Like I wanted you to love me."

I swallowed. The answer was obvious, yet never spoken aloud. Hell, I don't think I ever honestly admitted it before myself. Consciously, not somewhere in the depths of my mind. But she asked. And I couldn't lie to her.

It took a while before the name left my lips: "Sasuke."

Her silver eyes widened. "What? H-how?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, Hinata-chan. But... I can't imagine my life without him, ya know? I can't rest if he's not close to me. I... I like it when he is. Close. Any close," I jabbered.

"I don't understand..."

"Trust me," I laughed lightly, though without much joy. "Neither do I. But I don't have to. I know. That's... that's all I need, isn't it?"

She gaped at me for a while in silence, then she spoke again. "Tell Neji I'm sorry. So sorry..."

"What for?" I tilted my head, my thoughts still munching over my previous confession, but I had to focus on her.

"He will know... I... I was a coward. And this, this might be a price for that. And it's fair."

"Don't be stupid, Hinata-chan! You never-you don't... You don't deserve..." the words got stuck in my throat.

You don't deserve to die.

Die.

I remember when I thought I was dying. How terrified I was. She wasn't in pain, she wasn't alone, I made sure of that, but she still had to be so terrified yet she didn't let it show at all. She thought about her cousin.

In some ways, I thought, she was a bit like me.

"I... don't want to ever leave this place," she said quietly closing her eyes. "I don't want to leave this fantasy... Thank you for this make-believe, Naruto-kun. I..."

She said nothing else. That was it.

Hinata was gone.

If I could, I'd give my life for her, I knew that would be the only thing that could ever soothe the guilt.

She didn't deserve to die, neither did Jiraiya.

And I?

I sure didn't deserve this choice. This game. I didn't.

"Why had this happened to me?!" I cried out. I thought I've been through a nightmare. I thought I was stronger.

I wasn't.

For hours to come I swayed Hinata gently in my arms.


	48. The Truth of Us

**A/N:** I think this chapter is one of those needed the most in this conclusion to Over My Dead Body. I know I really missed this part. Took a long while to get here, but hey - it's here. So duh.

* * *

**- Chapter Forty Eight -**

_- The Truth of Us -_

**Sasuke's PoV**

"What worries you so, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked me as she joined me at a table in the teahouse.

"How did you find me?"

She looked at me askew. "Asked a random passerby. It's not hard to find an Uchiha around here."

"Hn."

"So, I asked what's with the long face? Are you worried about Hinata?" she asked, though I could hear she didn't think that was the reason.

"No."

"I do though. I can't stop thinking about her."

I looked at her, she plopped her head on her hands and looked down on the table, listless.

I wanted to tell her that it would yield nothing because Hinata was already as good as dead, but instead I said: "She's with Naruto."

Sakura nodded. She wouldn't be fine, sure, but being with him was the best she could get now. I knew that. But I didn't think it was good for him. It must've been hell.

Was she dead yet? Would he come back if she was?

"You're worried about him, aren't you? How he will handle it?"

Surprised at her insight I just nodded.

"He will be fine," she said. "You know, the only thing that ever, truly got to him was you, Sasuke-kun. Your disappearance, your hate, your rejection. If you left him again, for good, that would break him," she said and in her eyes I saw a plea. A plea that Naruto repeated so often: don't go. Stay.

I didn't reply - what could I have said? That I had to leave again soon? That I didn't know if I could come back? If it would be my choice, I'd be back. But that was not a promise I could give and be sure to keep.

"Can I say something, Sasuke-kun? I... don't mean for it to be silly or offensive or weird, I just... I think something."

"What is it?"

"I think he's in love with you."

"Don't be ridiculous, Sakura," I said, trying not to smile. Somehow her words made me glad, ridiculous as they were.

Because they were ridiculous, weren't they? In love. Dobe, in love with me.

"I'm his friend, he cares about me as he does about others," I said. "And he's stubborn, so he made it a point to get me where he wants me to be."

Sakura looked at me in quiet for a moment, I couldn't see what she was thinking or feeling, her expression was odd. "You know I was in love with you for a long while, don't you? Awestruck, I couldn't think of anything else. Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke. Like a fangirl, just with that illusion... that you could reciprocate my feelings. You were my teammate."

"It wasn't hard to notice."

She smiled and blushed a little. "That 'thank you' you gave me, just before you knocked me unconscious, it haunted me, it was what had me hold on to those illusions and dreams. But when I think about it... I would go to the ends of the world for you, but Naruto, he would go further. He did," she said.

I nodded. She had no idea.

"Slowly, my feelings started to pass, I mean, sure, I still feel those little tingles when you look into my eyes, but I feel that I could never compete with him. And it will sound silly, but I feel like he would be my competition."

"It does."

"It does?"

"It does sound silly," I clarified.

Sakura chuckled. "When you see him, Sasuke, look for the signs. Or ask him, if you have the guts."

This topic was making me uneasy. It made me think... of things I didn't know what to think.

"So you're over me?" I deflected the subject quickly with a smirk.

"You could say that, yeah," she smiled.

"Hn," it was good and yet I felt oddly disappointed. I felt nothing like that towards her, I felt nothing like that towards anyone, and yet I still enjoyed her attention. Even if I said otherwise. Logic. "What time is it?" I asked.

"Around nine."

"Well then, I should get going. I'm meeting Kakashi for the evening game of cards," I said getting up, then paused and considered something. "Why don't you join us?"

"Oh, I wouldn't want to impose," she said, but her eyes gleamed up. She wanted to come. "Isn't that your father-son time? That's what Kakashi-sensei called it last time we spoke."

Father-son.

"I'm sure he won't mind, Sakura. Come on."

She jumped up and grabbed my forearm. I guess stating where we stood unlocked some options in her mind. I just hoped it wouldn't end up in needless surprise hugs soon.

As we walked, in my mind I still heard her say: father-son. A smile crawled over my lips.

-:-

Sakura sucked at cards. That much was obvious from the first minutes of the game. Kakashi tried to convince me to let her win every now and then, but hell if I was going to! He did, but he was a fool in love.

I could see how grateful he was that I brought her along. All in all it seemed to do all of us good - I stopped worrying about the Dobe, she seemed to forget a bit about Hinata. Not saying that "Tsunasake" didn't help (it's what Kakashi decided to call Tsunade's spiked up beverage), but the game itself was really relaxing.

"Hey Sakura!" I suddenly got an idea.

"Ye? I'm counting here! Don't try to trick me!"

"Have you seen Kakashi's face yet?"

"He has his face right here," she pointed towards our former sensei.

"I mean, under the mask," I smirked and by the flare in her eyes I knew she had not.

"Oi, don't tell me you have!"

"I have."

"Sasuke!"

"What, I'm serious! Tell her, Kakashi. Tsunade saw it too."

"Liar," she threw cards on the table and crossed her arms. Funnily enough, she had a winning hand this time.

"Or am I?" I teased.

Kakashi looked at me with a frown and I shrugged. "What."

"So did he see it or not?!" she huffed. "That is SO unfair, Kakashi-sensei!"

I snorted. "Get him really drunk and he might just show you."

"I might just do that!" she seemed really pissed. Luckily, Tsunade hasn't rubbed off on her so much yet or else there could be victims in tables tonight.

"I'll go now," I said. "I have some stuff to take care of in the morning, can't be hung-over."

Sakura was already busy preparing a nice cup of Tsunasake for him, when I leaned and whispered to Kakashi's ear: "Have fun."

"Sasuke, why don't you stay here for the night?" he asked. "You know, your place is quite a walk away from here. You don't have to drink, just take a nap in the bedroom."

"You don't trust yourself, do you?" I chuckled.

"I don't trust this," he pointed to the bottles.

"Fine. I'll be in the other room. Good night."

-:-

I woke up in the morning. I was out since the moment I lay on the bed, even the slightest bit of alcohol was ready to knock me out - either unconscious or simply asleep. If anything would get... heated last night, I wouldn't even realize it. But when I left the bedroom I saw Kakashi and Sakura sitting on the ground under the sofa, sleeping in somewhat of an awkward embrace. It looked like he was still trying to teach her something about cards - she still had a few between her fingers.

But it seemed that she has been victorious - his mask was off and nowhere to be seen.

And I would be a bad ninja if I hadn't noticed a hickie on his chin. Ways of persuasion were plenty. Where sake won't get you...

-:-

If one thought hard enough, I guess they could find it a little ironic how this time it was me who, with Tsunade's permission, now left Konoha in search for Naruto to get him back home. I doubted that Hinata would still be alive when I got to Eda's gardens two days later. She was probably dead for a few days, if she was lucky to live so long.

A small tombstone surrounded by freshly dug ground where flowers were planted told me I wasn't wrong. I felt an unpleasant tingling in my stomach - the date of death carved roughly in the stone told me she died three days ago. So where was Naruto?

Then it struck me - what if Madara knew? What if he decided that I failed my promise by not coming to him as soon as she passed away, like I said I would? My heart stopped for a second.

"Calm down," I told myself. It was nothing yet, I didn't even enter the gardens. For all I knew he was sitting with Eda in the house eating or taking a bath in the lake or even roaming the nearby forests to unwind.

Anything else.

Still, I rushed towards the hut. Eda would know. I knocked at the door frantically.

It opened and I saw his familiar face. "Sasuke," he greeted me with a smile. "Are you looking for your friends?"

"Yes," I replied.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news."

"No..." I shook my head. What? What?

"Hinata has passed away three days ago."

"And Naruto? Where is he?" I didn't have it in me to pretend I cared about her. I expected nothing else.

"Oh, he's in the back garden. He asked me to let him stay here a while longer and bury her."

I breathed out with relief. He was here. It was fine.

"How is he?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself? I think he could use a friend now. He took her death hard."

"Thank you, Eda," I said, not sure how exactly I should address him. That was how Itachi called him. "For everything."

He bowed his head to me and let me through to the back garden.

I found him sitting on the grass, in some sort of kimono, playing idly with a rock. "Dobe," I said to warn him of my presence. He seemed to be blind to his surroundings.

"Sasuke?" he looked at me. "What are you doing here?"

"Checking up on you," I said coming closer and sitting down opposite of him. I was tired from the road, I could barely keep myself from lying down and falling asleep as I were. The overbearing smell of flowers was making me a bit hazy. Good hazy though, I loved it.

"I... I wasn't ready to go back to Konoha. I would, if I were to take her body home, but she told me, in her last words, that she wished to never leave this place. And you know," he lowered his gaze to the ground and plucked a grass blade, "I don't think her family wanted her to be there. Not when Hiashi didn't even show up at the hospital. She deserved better."

"Yes," I said. Even though I hardly cared, I couldn't disagree with him. What she did was cowardly, but in the face of death, I didn't understand how such small things still mattered to people. She panicked, she probably just needed time anyway. She might've been weak, but to abandon one's child like that... I thought of Kyu, I couldn't imagine doing that to her. Even if she turned out to be a coward.

Naruto looked at me and I saw he wanted to talk to me about something. I gave him a moment before asking: "What is it, Dobe? Spill."

"I want to tell you, but I don't..." he bit his lip.

I sighed. "Come on, idiot, I didn't come here to watch you poke rocks with grass blades."

"You came here to listen to me whine then?" he laughed, solemnly.

I snorted. "Look, I know this was hard on you. I can't even truly imagine. And I, uh, I know you need to talk things through," I said, now in earnest. I had real troubles trying to find the right way to phrase things, I hoped he would understand me.

"It helps, it does... to speak. It makes it easier to understand."

"I know, it does for you. So? Talk to me."

**Naruto's PoV**

The fact that he came here, the fact that he even asked, they meant more to me than I could put into words. But at the same time they made it so much harder to tell him. How could I tell him? Should I tell him?

Was there even a problem?

Well, there sure was one and that was that I actually knew nothing. I didn't know if we had a problem.

Who was I to him? Who was he to me?

"You know why I came here, Sasuke?" I asked him. Of course he knew, he told me how to get here. But I had to start somehow.

He just nodded.

"You know what, you look weary," I said. "You should rest and I, uh, I'll play with my rock."

"Dobe."

"What?"

He just glared at me and I knew there was no escaping this one. Fine, so be it.

"I wanted to give her all that she wanted these two weeks we were here... Take her mind off her sickness, make her believe she would live..."

"I know," he said after I paused for a longer while.

"It was... unbearable to watch her die, Sasuke. To know she was dying. I felt like I was dying with her. And I wanted to make her happy so much, I didn't... think. Of anything. Of me... and stuff."

Of you.

Sasuke was waiting patiently as I tried to find a way to tell him all that I needed him to know. I wondered what was going through his head. Did he understand my torment or did he thing I was an idiot for being unable to just speak my mind? His face showed me nothing.

"Sakura-chan told me that Hinata was in love with me... that's why she asked me to marry her before. I mean, not just that, but that was why she asked *me*..."

Sasuke tilted his head to the side and his hair bounced a little with the movement.

"You know where I'm going, don't you?"

"Dobe, just... talk, alright?" he asked. "You need to talk. I'm here to listen."

I winced a little, was he annoyed at me? I didn't want to annoy him, I didn't want to anything to push him away, not when he finally reached out to me.

"I married her before she died," I said.

"Married her?" he echoed.

"Yes, Eda married us. She wanted it. I..."

What now? I'm sorry? I don't know if I should be sorry? I didn't mean it? I don't know if I should have meant it?

"I don't know what to say now," I finally said. That was the truth.

"Why?" he asked me.

"Because... I don't know, alright? Because I don't know."

I dug the rock into the ground and clenched my teeth.

"I'm not going to judge you, Naruto."

"I don't care if you judge me," I said. Well, I did care if he judged me, but it wasn't my primary concern right then.

"You don't? So why is it so hard to tell me all of this?"

I lowered my gaze again and to be perfectly honest, I felt I wanted to cry. Not because of this talk, not because of Hinata, not because of... anything in particular. I just wanted to cry.

"Because I... don't want you to feel. I don't want to make you."

"I don't understand you, Naruto, I want to, but I don't," Sasuke said.

He used my name.

He was sitting close enough for me to reach him and I did, I reached forward and touched his lips, hesitant, waiting for him to push my hand away at any second.

He didn't. He just watched me, as if petrified, waiting for my next move.

"Sasuke, I... after we... I hoped... I wanted to believe that... maybe..."

I couldn't say it! I slapped myself mentally, what was wrong with me? What was my point? If I could barely understand myself, how could he understand me?

He lied down on the ground and I was left with my hand in the air where his lips were a moment ago. I shook off the daze, he probably fell asleep when I was busy battling my thoughts.

But no, he was still looking at me.

I was being ludicrous. He was Sasuke. Things happened, weird things, odd things, but it was -me- who caused them to happen. The only reason he even agreed to them or... bore them somehow, I believed the only reason was he just couldn't even care anymore. What I've seen in Oto was just a part of what he had seen and what he had been through on his own accord.

But I was different, to me, it all still had more meaning that it should. All of it. '

What was I thinking? I was fine this time, we both were. There was no crazy chakra around us, there was no plea for help, there was no more confusion, fear.

It was just us. As we were. And me, with my apparent insanity.

"Idiot, I don't judge you, I don't blame you. I can't," Sasuke said suddenly.

Somehow the way he said it, gave me courage. I reached out again and placed my hand on his cheek. "What do you feel?" I asked.

"I feel that you're touching me," he answered.

"What do you -feel-?" I asked again.

After a moment of silence he spoke: "Nothing... I don't know."

"What do you want?"

No response. His eyes bore into mine and finally I could take it no more. I leaned in and kissed him. When he parted his lips to let me in, something broke inside me. I felt the tears escape my eyes, my throat got bitter. I broke the kiss and looked at him.

"I want..." I started to speak like a moron I was. "I want when you're close... I want..."

"I'm here," he said simply, spreading his arms on the grass. "Right here."

"I know," I replied. "I just... I can't believe it."

He was here. I could see him, touch him. Still. It was not a dream this time, it was reality. After all these years, I just couldn't believe it. Each time he was so close to me, I felt confused.

"I want..."

"What do you want, Dobe?" he asked and I saw his eyes flicker with those impish sparks, just for a moment. "Is this something you can't have that you keep on wanting and wanting and wanting?" he teased.

He teased me. Why did he tease me?

"I-" this time he cut me short pressing his finger against my lips.

"Tell me what you want that you can't have. Or take it, if you can. Stop being such a wuss."

That stung. I tried to talk to him seriously and just as I was getting the courage to, he had to start mocking me!

"Oi, bastard!" I scowled and straddled him to smack him on the chest. "Don't you see I'm trying to talk here?"

"Yeah, trying is the right word. You're making no sense, idiot. I'm falling asleep."

I smacked him again. "Sasuke!"

"What?"

"Fine!" I growled and met his lips with mine again.

Again, he returned the kiss. I buried my hand in his hair, supporting myself with the other one. I felt him tense underneath me, he grabbed the back of my shirt and clenched it in his fist. I felt this desire build up in me and I was sure my body has already betrayed me, but he didn't move away. He didn't do anything on his own accord, but he reciprocated everything I did, letting me set up the pace.

It was... different.

When I looked into his eyes they were unfocused, he was breathing heavily as was I. I took off the rest of his clothes and I saw he wanted this as well, he wanted me. Body couldn't lie.

"What do you want, Dobe?" he whispered to me.

"You," I said.

He smirked. I closed my eyes and slowly took him inside me.

**Sasuke's PoV**

For a moment longer I could still think and I felt relief.

He did it. He fought past the barriers and did it.

I was relieved because I knew that I wouldn't make this step, even though I wanted so bad. I realized it when he kissed me, when I felt his farm body brush against mine. This time, I knew, it meant something. Everything. It was the boundary we crossed - there was nothing to blame it on. Nothing to decide for us.

He did it and I let him do it.

For a moment he was still, I only felt him breathe against my neck. He didn't look at me now, but I looked at him. His golden hair, tanned skin, muscular arms. I would always be able to describe him, I did so many times in the past, but somehow now all those features of his seemed different. Same, yet different.

I wanted to look into his eyes, see their color like I saw everything else right now, but when I tried to turn his head to face me, he shook it 'no' and buried in deeper between my neck and shoulder.

"Why won't you look at me?" I asked quietly.

He just shook his head again.

I had to close my eyes and use the imagination. For just a moment, because as he started moving, I lost all the control of my mind. All I did was feel.

-:-

"Who am I to you?" he asked me when his breathing calmed down. We were done, but I was still inside him, he wouldn't move and I didn't want him to.

Still, he refused to look at me.

"Will... this happen again?" he asked another question before I could reply.

"Yes," I said without hesitation. I felt him smile against my neck.

"Who am I to you? Who are we to each other?"

"Friends," I said, truthfully.

"Friends," he repeated after me.

The weather was getting chilly, but I didn't truly feel the cold as he rested on me, his body so warm.

Again, there was a long silence before he spoke. "Are we family, Sasuke? Can I say you're my family? Can I think it?"

It was an odd question. "Yes... I think so," I said.

He moved and reached for his discarded kimono that he quickly wrapped around himself. Only when he got off me and kneeled on the grass beside me did he finally look into my face. Hesitation painted across his features.

"Are we together?"

"We're friends," I said again.

"I never want to be without you," he said, tilting his head, thinking.

"We'll stay friends, Naruto."

"Together," he prodded.

I wrinkled my nose. "What do you want?" I asked. This conversation was weird.

"I need to know, Sasuke."

"You do know, idiot! You're just trying to give names. Call it."

Suddenly, he grinned. "So... we're friends... together," he said. "And a family, for good?"

"Yes, Dobe. Now let me sleep. You're exhausting."

"There are beds inside, you know."

"I know. I'm not going to sleep there. I'll sleep here," I said.

"Che, whatever. I'll grab us a blanket then, dattebayo!"

It was amazing how he went from... uh, never mind.

I dressed myself back and lied on the side, enjoying the smell of the gardenias growing right by. As I was drifting off to sleep I felt a blanket thrown over me and Naruto who lied behind me and snuggled up to me.

Sometimes, I remembered, he did that in Oto when he was sure Orochimaru was asleep. I wished I could touch him then, make him feel he wasn't alone. I couldn't back then, but I could now. I placed my hand over his and entangled our fingers.

Few moments later, he whispered, barely audibly: 'I love you, bastard'. He probably thought I was already out.

I smirked and squeezed his hand to let him know - no such luck.


	49. Glass Promises

**A/N**: Hello :) I'm doing my best to connect everything that should be connected from the past chapters to the new ones. The "Summary" I left proved to be completely useless in that regard as it left a shitload of loose ends disregarding all the build-up and elements that should be used. I hope to do justice by those details, now that it's quite fresh in my mind. But it required me to slow down the action a little to find logic.

* * *

**- Chapter Forty Nine -**

_- Glass Promises -_

**Naruto's PoV**

When I woke up it was barely dawning, but seeing how it wasn't even dark when we fell asleep, it wasn't surprising. What was surprising was that Sasuke was still sound asleep in my embrace. Realizing that felt odd, but definitely the good kind of odd. I brushed my nose against his hair and as my mind started to awaken, I was remembering our talk last night.

He was so stubborn! I knew he had troubles talking about his feelings, but I felt he would choke first than admit some things aloud. So I decided to let it go. After all, even though he never said the word (and neither did I, to be perfectly honest), everything was more than clear. We agreed that we were more than friends now, Sasuke and I were now together, as lovers.

What.

I grinned through a wince as I heard that thought aloud in my head. That word, as true a description as it could be, sounded *so* out of place when I thought about us. It was funny, I knew that if someone dared to say that to me about us, I'd feel they were trying to annoy me and smack them right on the head. I remembered how some kids teased after our accidental 'kiss' all those years ago, they sure earned their smacks.

To think about it... maybe that little version of me was not gone? Maybe that was what made it so... awkward to speak about. In all honesty, what would he say or think if he saw us right now? The thought actually amused me and I began to imagine various scenarios of his reactions. The funniest one, I think, was the one where I from now, told my past self what he and Sasuke would do in a few years.

Luckily, my present-Sasuke seemed to wake up before I got too far into my mind-play and completely traumatized my imaginary past self.

"What time is it, Dobe?" he asked.

"Eh, dawnish?"

He grunted and turned to his back.

"Morning," I said.

"Hn."

I felt... happy. I think that was the only way to describe it.

Even though as the day began and reality started to sink in I remembered all the dark clouds still hovering over us - Hinata's death, Madara's game, I still couldn't stifle that spark of happiness that filled me the moment I thought of Sasuke. Of the fact that he not only didn't think I was ridiculous, but didn't reject me. That he felt the same, even though I truly believed he wouldn't. I was terrified he wouldn't.

**Sasuke's PoV**

"I'm so tired of all the games, all the mysteries and secrets," Naruto said suddenly as we were eating breakfast.

I looked up from my plate. "Where did that come from, Dobe?"

"Everywhere..." he said, but it was obvious something was bugging him. "All the time, everyone's hiding something, lying, making up, covering the truth. We're afraid to tell things, we're unsure, we're ashamed, so many reasons. I miss it when we just spoke our minds."

"Well, speak you mind then," I shrugged. "I'm sure your dark secrets won't make me run in terror."

"Che," he snorted. "Don't be so sure!"

After a moment of chewing and pondering he spoke again, as I knew he would. He was nowhere near done. "I won't go around spilling my guts before everyone, I don't think anyone should do it. That'd be just dumb, ne? But... I think I just want us to be honest with each other," he said and playful sparks disappeared from his eyes. He was all serious now. "I want you to be able to tell me everything, Sasuke. And I want to be able to talk to you."

"You're not telling me many things," I said. It was true and obvious.

"I know... but I want to. It's just hard."

"It is. But if you're not ready to talk to me, why do you bring this up?" I asked.

He poked the break with his finger digging a little hole in it. "I want you to know that I will never judge, you Sasuke... I just want to understand."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Where's this going, Dobe?"

"I know, you know."

"You know what?"

"Why you wouldn't sleep upstairs."

Fuck.

"And why is that?" I asked, hoping he was simply wrong.

"You know what, hehe," he scratched the back of his neck, grinning awkwardly. "Maybe I don't. Maybe we shouldn't talk, we should go to Konoha and all."

"I'll tell you. If you want to know."

"I think I do."

"When we came here first, I was injured by our pursuers," I began.

How could I explain this to him? There seemed to be no right way, and yet I knew that I owed him honesty. After everything that happened and everything that would still come, I owed at least as much. After all, later today he'd hate me again when I'd tell him I had to leave to fulfill my deal with Madara.

"It would be the end of me if he hadn't used his Sharingan. It blinded him, he knew it would. He caught me," my hand instinctively traced to the scar on my stomach the blade left, "and I led his hand to the wound so he could heal it. That moment, I was getting lightheaded, the floor, the walls, everything seemed to fade away. What was left was his touch, his warmth, and relief he was bringing me. I felt... safe. I felt he was taking care of me. Like he did all those years before the massacre. For the first time, it felt as if I had my brother back."

Naruto stopped eating and just looked at me.

**Naruto's PoV**

I felt that any move or comment I made would have him stop talking. He never opened this much, and I knew it was hard for him to do so. I appreciated it. I really meant what I said. I wanted to understand him. I didn't know if it weighed on him to keep this from me or not, but it would weigh on me and I wanted to give him a chance to fix it. I'd like such a chance from him, if I ever needed one.

And who knew if I wouldn't soon. What was the next step in Madara's game.

Sasuke continued.

"To defeat Orochimaru, we needed trust. It wasn't easy, I've sworn to kill him for years, I've lived with the prospect of my revenge, I've learnt to hate him. I've learnt it, because I used to love him so much I wanted to believe so bad that it was all a nightmare, that there was something else, something more, something I could understand and forgive him," he said. "And then I've learnt that there was. I've learnt that I didn't need to hate him. That... I could have him back. Talk to him, not fight. Train with him, not kill each other. Find solace in his presence not fear," he paused.

Somehow, I was beginning to understand it.

"Suddenly," Sasuke said, "I could allow myself to love him again. Like I did in the past. And that feeling, Naruto, I can't describe it," he shrugged. "I just, wanted him. For all this lost time, for all the lies, all the hate, all the suffering. For all that I've missed and for how I've missed him."

I smiled. "Believe me, I can imagine," I said.

"You never had parents, Naruto, you never had older siblings that would take care of you. Show you the world, teach it to you. That's what Itachi did for me, that's who he was. He was my protector, he was the one that would threaten defenestrate a bully who dared steal my icecream and each night scare the monsters that I thought lived under my bed. And when I was with him, here, I felt that again. I felt that safety that only childhood innocence can give you, that you then carry with you."

He was right, I never felt it. It sounded... wonderful.

"I'm sorry that you never had that," he said and suddenly he took my hand in his.

"Well," I smiled, though my throat was clutching a bit. I wasn't gonna cry now, come on throat! "I got a lot of other things, ne? You will never know how it feels to eat ten bowls of ramen! And I tell you, it feels goooood. But you just gotta have the right stomach for it!"

"Idiot," he said, but smiled at me. Truly, truly smiled.

I guess, in the end, it did weigh on him.

"Come on, bastard. We have to go back to Konoha," I said.

He nodded. "Yeah."

-:-

We had to stop once for rest before we'd get back home. The fireplace was all set and burning bright, I was getting ready to roast my dinner when Sasuke sat beside me and took away my roasting stick.

"We gotta talk," he said and somehow I felt I wouldn't like whatever he decided to tell me now.

I frowned.

"I don't wanna talk. You're gonna say you're leaving again or something, 'tebayo!" I pouted.

When his expression changed my heart jumped up to my throat.

"Don't tell me that's it, bastard!" I exclaimed. "I was kidding!"

He closed his eyes and turned to face the fire. "What if you got another choice, Dobe? Like the one you've just had to make?"

"Oi! Don't change the subject!" I hit him on the shoulder.

"I'm not."

"Sasuke, what is it?" I asked, I was beginning to get very nervous. "What are you talking about?"

"What if you had to choose between two of your friends again?" he asked again, quietly. "What if you had to kill of them by your hand to save the other from torture?"

"I... that's not gonna happen! Is it?" I asked in terror. Did he knew more about the game? Was that what was gonna happen? "Sasuke, what's going on? Please, look at me."

He turned to me, narrowing his silver eye closer to the flames. "It could."

"I... no. I... I couldn't bear it. I don't think I could..." I was stuttering.

"But it won't," he said. "You won't play his game anymore."

"What?"

"Sooner or later, Dobe, he'd get what he wanted anyway. And what he wants right now is me. The longer I would wait, the more he'd hurt you."

"Sasuke, no, this is ridiculous! It's... it's like he gave me a choice and choose to lose you!"

"No it isn't, idiot. You're out of the game, I told you. I can match him in his play. You can't."

"Stop being an arrogant jerk," I said clenching my teeth. What was he thinking?!

"Eat your dinner, Dobe. I'm done talking about this."

He was going to get up and go, but I grabbed his sleeve and pulled him towards me so strong he tumbled and fell on his knees. "I will not let you go," I said. "I will not. I'll go an fight him if I have to, but I will not let you go, do you hear me?"

"Tch," he said. "I'm not going yet, let go. I need some dinner too."

He seemed annoyed and so I let go of his sleeve. "You know I can find you now. Don't you forget that, bastard! You gave me that thread, remember? When you promised you'd stay?"

"Dinner," he grumbled and disappeared behind the bushes.

I couldn't decide what was I more: terrified, sad or pissed. I could hear rustling in the leaves and even a loud curse as he was trying to find something for dinner. I looked at my half-roasted rabbit. "Oi, bastard!" I shouted. "Come back, you can have my rabbit!"

I didn't want to lose sight of him for a moment.

I meant what I said. I was not going to let him go. No way in hell.

**Sasuke's PoV**

I wasn't sure why it was so and I was sure it was pretty stupid, but in a way I think wanted to care more. Yet I stood emotionless beside them, listening to Naruto relay the news of Hinata's death to a handful of people she called friends. He didn't tell them the whole truth, of course not, he made up a story and told them where her final resting place was.

There were tears - Naruto's as well - there were farewells, there were promises given in her honor. But thing I noticed, her father still didn't come. Neji and Hanabi showed, the girl alongside her new fiancé.

There was one thing good about this whole thing, our talk from the previous night seemed to be forgotten. The only thing that let me know Naruto still remembered was how he refused to let me out of sight. I humored him and followed him around.

I was leaving tonight. And to be honest, I didn't want to lose sight of him either.

Neji said that he wanted to go to Hinata's grave and pay his respects.

"Sure," the Dobe replied. "We'll show you where it is. Tomorrow maybe, it's getting late."

"Naruto knows the way," I said. "He'll take you."

He glared at me like I knew he would. I provoked him on purpose. It was late indeed, and it was time for the farewell.

"Excuse us, Neji," he said, "but I've got to talk to Sasuke about something in private." He grabbed my sleeve again and angrily dragged me out to the empty street.

"Didn't you hear what I said before?!" he was seething. "I told you you're not leaving, do you think I was joking?!"

"Dobe, calm down," I said. "I'm not leaving forever, alright? It's a month. That was the deal. A month."

"But..."

"No buts! Do you not understand it was the only way to stop this? You would get another choice, you would have to continue playing. What did he tell you exactly?" I asked. I knew I said before that I didn't need to know, but circumstances have changed. "What was his deal with you?"

He was still clutching my sleeve and looking at me, his lips quivering as if he was to cry at any moment.

**Naruto's PoV**

A month. A month. A month.

I repeated that in my mind like a mantra. I knew he would go, I knew I couldn't stop him. So that information was everything.

A month.

He asked me a question.

"Eh? What did you ask?" I didn't really hear it.

"I asked what happened exactly between you two. What did he say, what did he do?"

I took a sharp breath before speaking. "He found me when we were in that forest with Hinata and he caught me in some kind of genjutsu. It reminded me a bit of the one I cast on you, back in Oto," I said. "He told me it was all a game for him, but to make it fun I had to care, worry. I had to want to play it."

Sasuke nodded. "Sounds like him."

"It's just like it with you, isn't it? He could've just captured you, but he wants you to come of your own will."

"Yes."

"And he found a way to use me to get you to do that..."

"Yes."

"So this is why people say friends and family are one's weakness, heh?" I tried to smile but I really couldn't.

He shrugged. "Yeah. I guess. What else? What else happened in that genjutsu?"

"He told me if I didn't play his games, I would lose them by the default. If I did, I might even have a chance to win. Do you think..." suddenly a thought dawned on me. "Do you think that letting you go is also a choice of mine? Do you think that's me agreeing to play his game?"

Sasuke scowled. "I don't think so," he said, but he didn't sound convinced.

"I let you play the game instead, I know, but even if he lets me go, it is still my choice, isn't it? I could go to him, I could keep you here by force."

"In a way... maybe," he agreed. "But Dobe, whatever happens you cannot blame yourself, you get me? This, for once, is a clear choice."

"Is though, Sasuke? What if I should go with you? Find out-"

He pressed his hand over my lips. "No. You hear me? No. Tell me what else he said."

"He told me we - he and I - messed up the present by playing with the future. He wasn't happy with the result and he wanted to fix it," I continued. I focused hard on remembering how the dream went. It was a little blurry, a little abstract, but still etched firmly in my memory. "I think he said he had a way to kill me, if he wanted to."

"What? But you're not living. Not truly."

I nodded. "I guess a man like him has his ways, ne? Hehe. To kill a ghost."

"It won't happen, Dobe. I give you my word."

"What he said next... he told me he would work on me... he said my altruism sickens him. And it needs to be fixed. He meant more choices, more tests, didn't he? Until I... broke? Because I couldn't take it anymore otherwise?"

"I have to go, Dobe, do you see?"

"Sasuke... thank you," I said and hugged him.

I didn't care who could see us. I understood. He knew that I couldn't bear it and he wanted to save me. I'd do anything for him, anything, but right now, I didn't see anything I could do. I didn't understand this game of Madara's, what if he would hurt him just to get to me? Did he really care to change me or would that only yield more victims? What was his purpose in the end? Me, Sasuke, what?

"He then showed me something else..." I said, holding him in my arms. "You. In some kind of projected future."

I told him about the snow, Orochimaru, hallucinations of us, of the glass flower. At some point he put his arm around my waist too.

"You said you broke promises, you said you forgot..." I told him. "We were all dead, Itachi, Madara, me."

"Come with me, Naruto," he said.

He led me to his - our - home. I waited in his room as he went to find something. Fidgeting with a blanket tassel, I worried. Did he try to trick me and left to avoid more of a goodbye? It would be so him. He knew all that he needed to and now...

But I was wrong. In a few moments he was back, carrying a small wooden box on a chain. He held it out to me.

In it, I saw the glass forget-me-not. It was not a withered flower I saw in my dream, not exactly, but the box was the same.

Maybe I just thought it was real and withered as I saw it in the vision? It was covered in snow. Maybe it was glass underneath.

"Take it," Sasuke said. "I had it in your vision, so make sure that I don't. You do."

I took the box and looked at the beautiful sculpture inside. I could see my eyes reflect in it. When I looked back at Sasuke I noticed he was shivering. It wasn't cold. He was terrified. He would never say it, but he couldn't hide it. Or maybe he didn't really want to.

"I hope he'll be there for you, you know," I said. "That you won't be alone. I want to know you're not alone."

He said nothing.

I rose the flower to my eye level and looked at him through it. "It's beautiful."

Sasuke shrugged. "Just a trinket without meaning."

"Not anymore," I smiled. "It will remind me of you now. For a month. You know what, bastard? When you come back, we'll mash this thing together, okay? A month from now, mash it right on the wall! Cause I won't have to remember you through it anymore. Cause you'll be here, right?"

"Right," he said. "Naruto, look at me," he said crouching before me. "I'll come back. If I have to crawl. That is... how did you say it..."

"A promise of a lifetime?"

"Tch. Yeah, that."

"I'll hold you to it, bastard. Nobody can break that kind of promise, dattebayo!"

"Yeah. See ya."

And with that, he was gone. Jumped out of the window and disappeared.

A month.

After all, Madara had no reason to kill him, right?

A month.

And he wouldn't hurt him. He probably wanted something Uchihaish?

A month.

Yeah. Why would he.


	50. The Fear of Me

**A/N:** I wonder how this story would look like if I were to start writing such a fanfic today. I'll never know, but it's still fun to wonder. And challenging to try and fill my old shoes! I'm definitely having fun with this trip to the past.

* * *

**- Chapter Fifty -**

_- The Fear of Me -_

**Naruto's PoV**

There was something about the light of day that made everything seem better. As I walked towards the hospital with Kyu in my arms, I felt the wooden box knocking against my belly. Suddenly a thought struck me: fuck! I turned around on my heel and darted towards Tsunade's office.

"Baa-chan!" I hollered before I even opened the door.

I almost forgot I was holding a baby, but I was reminded of it quite loudly as she started crying.

"Oi! I'm sorry! I didn't yell at you!" I rose her before my eyes and tried to rock her up and down making some wooshing sounds. I had no idea how to calm a baby, but frankly that seemed to do the trick. "You like to fly? You like to fly?" I grinned at her. She had Konan's blue eyes, but they were shaped like Sasuke's. I would recognized them anywhere.

The door to Tsunade's office flew open and I saw her looking very much... yesterdayish. Quite literally. She was wearing same clothes and remnants on the same make-up she had on last day. But she was most definitely sleeping, her eyes were still the slits of someone who was just woken up. "Stop. Yelling," she said in a hushed tone. "What is it?"

"Ay, Sasuke's gonna be gone for a month. I don't suppose her told you?"

"No, he didn't," she said and crossed her arms on her chest. "What happened?"

"He's gonna take care of something, but I wanted you to know or else you might mark him as some missing ninja again or something!"

She rolled her eyes. "He has to report things like this to me, not you!"

"Ay, ay I know, but he needs time to adjust to the life under authority again. I'll make sure he does, when he's back, dattebayo! But now, eh, can you let it slide?"

She narrowed her eyes at me and this time it was just her being mad. "Fine," she said. "How are you, Naruto? With all that's happened, I worry about you."

"I'll be fine," I said smiling. "It's not easy, but I'll be fine. I'm taking Kyu to her check-up now!"

"Yeah, you do that," she said and scratched her head, yawning. I heard a rummaging coming from the room behind her.

"Eh? Who's there?" I asked.

"Kyu's hungry, you should go feed her. Now!"

"She's just-"

"Now!" she said and slammed the door in my face.

Kyu started crying again.

"Oi! Baa-chan, you made her cry again!" I yelled to the door.

"Go or I'll make you cry along!"

-:-

"How did it feel?" Sakura asked me and turned around moving Kyu away from me. I was trying to take the baby back from her for good ten minutes, but to no avail.

"How did what feel?"

"When they let you bring her here to me."

I grinned. "It felt fine. Oi! Give her to me!"

It actually felt more than fine, it felt great. 'The father of the baby?' the secretary who turned me away before asked. I nodded, gave her the papers and she updated some documents. 'Go right ahead. You won't be needing those the next time,' she told me then pointing to the papers I was holding.

"No," Sakura said and to make a point moved further away.

Ever since we were back from Oto I was thinking about telling her more about what had happened there. On one hand it all felt like stuff you don't share with those who weren't involved, on the other she was one of my best friends and I wanted to share it with her. Some of it, anyway.

I chose to tell her about the technique I used to show Sasuke the possible futures and what I saw.

"Hey, now you make me wonder if I want you all back here!" she laughed, of course she was kidding. "She'd be my baby? Really?"

"Yeah," I said. "It seemed we were raising her together."

She rose Kyu up and blew raspberry at her, the girl giggled.

"You know, there were some things in those futures that I liked. Hidden amongst the nightmarish visions," I grinned knowing those would never come true, "but still. I know that's not really up to me to decide, but I was thinking about something..."

"Yes?" she looked at me, suspicious.

"I think you'd make the best godmother to Kyu," I blurted out. Sasuke would kill me. Well, come at me, bro! It was true.

"What?" her eyes gleamed up.

"You know what, Sakura-chan? You're gonna be it, dattebayo! I'm sure Sasuke will agree that's the best idea ever!" I didn't stop grinning. "Just, uh, don't tell him I already told you, hehe. Let him think it's gonna be his idea, ya?"

"You got it," she said happily. "Ne, little one, you also think it's best idea ever, don't you, don't you? Where is Sasuke anyway?" she turned to me, her voice still a little high-pitched from talking to Kyu.

"Eh, he's got some family business to take care of..." I didn't lie. "He'll be back in a month though."

"Alright, we'll take good care of you in the meantime," she swayed Kyu to the sides and she cooed quietly. "Yes we will, yes we will."

I didn't want to tell her the truth. Or how I felt about it. In fact, I didn't want to think about it. I was doing my best to think positive. I felt a bit guilty about not mourning Hinata more, but I couldn't. I had to focus on what was good around me. On Kyu, on Sakura-chan, on spending time with Baa-chan, Kakashi-sensei and even Sai - though he always weirded me out just a little bit. I had friends in Konoha that I needed to catch up with, gossips I needed to hear.

I was sick of worrying, I was sick of being depressed, I was not meant to be depressed. I decided to honor Hinata by living. By trying to go back to being myself from before all of this happened - the one she seemed to like so much. Her death made me realize how I've lost touch with all of those people I used to be so close to. Those eight months I've been away were way too long. It was time to fix it.

And in a month, I'd have Sasuke do the same.

**Sasuke's PoV**

When I thought about it I realized he never told me where to meet him. I never told him when exactly I would come. And yet when I neared the place we talked at last time I saw him, he seemed to have been waiting for me. Or maybe it was just a coincidence.

Madara was sitting leisurely on the bench in front of the house, hideout, whatever that place was now. He acknowledged my presence by a hand wave and summoned me forth.

"Beautiful day, isn't it," he said and somehow I wasn't surprised at such a greeting. He reveled in irony, games, breaking the stereotypes and expectations. Which led him right into a trap of becoming predictable - of course he'd comment on the weather.

I didn't feel like answering to this idle banter.

"Sit down," he told me. "I hate talking to people when they stand up. It feels as if they were in a hurry."

Only when I complied did he speak further.

"I'm sure by now Naruto has told you all that we've talked about. Or most of it, anyway. It's okay, I wanted him to," he said. "I can be certain now that you're... properly motivated. We've got a few things to settle, I'd invite you in for a cup of tea before we talk business, but I don't suppose you'd be interested?"

"No."

"As you wish. First of all, a rule, same one I gave to your friend. As long as we're playing the game, I will not lie to you."

"Why?"

"For fun, why else," he laughed.

"Will you tell me when the game is over?" I asked.

"Yes."

"On your own accord, without my asking you?"

"Yes."

"Will you answer all of my questions?"

"No, Sasuke, don't be naïve. But if I do, it will be truth. I find that's more than fair. Considering."

"What is your plan?"

"Oh, I'll get to it. Maybe," he said. "But there are some thing I want to take care of first. You now we're toying about futures and pasts and plans and ideas. So, in the spirit of the game, I'll give you an insight to the closest future. Thing is, aside of the things that I actually want to achieve, I also want to have some fun. And observing all of you react to what I tell you or do is one of the best entertainment I've had in a while."

"What's your point?"

"Point is I've done something that I could've kept a secret from you and just use it later, but I decided it would be far more amusing to let you react," he said.

I was losing my patience, but if I showed him how he was getting to me, it would only give him more joy. So I remained stoic.

"Not unlike that sweet Hyuuga girl, Itachi is now dying. Without the symptoms, because well, I don't need him to show any, but trust me, he is."

I choked down the words that I wanted to scream. It was a game, it was a deal. He didn't want to kill him. I had to wait to hear what was his price now. There was no reason to panic yet.

"Now, I don't want him to die... like this," he said. "That's not fun at all. I just want to make sure you will continue playing this little game of mine. If you comply, he'll be cured, I assure you of that."

"What do you want in return?"

"Well, that depends. I mean, should you find a cure I guess, nothing," he laughed. "You will have a month to come up with something. I'll even let him see you every day so you can work it, if you wish so. Now the thing is, you can't cure him, but you can try. And by all means, I'll even let you access the library."

"What is the point of this if you say I can't cure him?"

"Do you believe me when I say that?"

"You said you wouldn't lie to me," I replied.

"Yes, and I'm not lying. But can't I just... be wrong?" Madara laughed. "I know that's what you're going to think. You would be sick if you didn't."

"And if I can't cure him?" I asked.

"You will be given a sweet choice. Next step in the game. We'll talk about this when the time comes. For now, I just wanted to give you something to ponder upon, occupy yourself with. Something to make you wake up every day," he said. "Hm... I guess I want to make sure that when it comes to the choice you choose what you to choose. Once you're certain that you cannot save your brother any other way, you will be more inclined to make it."

"What is the other option? You told me you wouldn't make me hurt anyone else."

"I won't make you hurt anyone else. Not unless you will actually want to."

"Why would I ever want to do that?"

"I don't know, people change. Circumstances change. If you're so sure of yourself, of your desires and priorities, then you should have nothing to worry about, now would you, Sasuke? I give you my word that I will not make you choose between any two people you might care about. I will not force you to do anything you won't agree to, or choose to let me do."

"That's ambiguous. You could say you never forced Naruto to condemn Hyuuga to death and yet he hardly had a choice. Or rather the option wasn't any better," I argued.

"Well, that's why I said I won't make you choose between your loved ones. Doesn't that bring you comfort."

"Should it?"

"No. No it shouldn't."

I didn't know what to think. Itachi would be cured, I knew that, there was nothing I wouldn't do to save him now, not if it wasn't a choice between him and someone else that I knew he'd never forgive me for making anyway. But the fact that Madara was amused by it made me quite certain that in fact, the other option would be worse than such a choice. I had no idea what it could've been, but I didn't want to face that choice.

"Will we survive this game of yours? All of us?"

"Not if everything goes according to my plan," he chuckled darkly. "Haven't you seen the future enough? There are many ways it can go, but I honestly don't think you can fix everything. You," he took my face in his hand as if he was mocking a child, "have gone weak, Sasuke. You care about too many things, too many people. You can't have it all. Not as you are right now. But who knows, maybe this game will actually make you happy? That would be just... hilarious, don't you think?"

-:-

In the library he stopped and turned to me again.

"Itachi doesn't know anything. Whatever you decide to tell him is up to you. I myself won't punish you for anything, but, my advice, think twice before you share some information," he said. "Trust me, he will do anything to make it right by you. And the question is - do you find the same things the most important? Or would you disagree with him... IF you had the chance."

"What have you done to him?"

"I won't tell you that, what if it made it too easy? What if you somehow managed to find the cure if you both worked together on it. Naa, Sasuke, if you want to know, find out yourself. You have a month. No less, no more. This," he opened his arm to the room, "and anything else you find inside this building is yours to use. But you cannot leave this place. If you do, there will be consequence and you won't like them, I promise. Now I'll give you... hm, let's say an hour to get settled. Here's a key to your room, it's just opposite of the library. See I even made sure you wouldn't have to walk very far," he said and scrutinized me. "Some days you might not be able to, I think. Oh, we'll see. In an hour I want you to be here or your room. We'll get started on my business. Everything clear? I thought so. Enjoy your stay."

He left and close the heavy door behind him. I fell down onto the armchair and hid my face in my palms.

What was I going to do? I started processing everything slowly. Every word of his, every threat, every promise, every rule.

I would meet Itachi soon, I could decide to tell him everything or nothing. It was a question much harder than it should've been. Ironically, dealing with Madara seemed far easier than it would be to deal with my brother.

If I told him he was dying and I could save him by making a deal, I could easily see him killing himself to spare me whatever tragedy Madara craftily cooked for me. Of course I couldn't risk that. And the problem was if I tried to make Itachi promise me he would nothing of a sort, I wouldn't trust his word. I would put my life in his hands and trust him with what's dearest to me, but not his word. Not in this case.

Madara was right, if he thought it would be best to lie to me and then break a promise, he would do that without hesitation.

That was out of the question then. Well, progress. I solved one dilemma.

Of course I had to try and heal him, again, Madara was right, I did think I might have a chance. There was always a chance that he simply underestimated me. I've learnt a lot under Orochimaru. He had no way of knowing about everything. But first I had to see Itachi to understand what I would be dealing with.

So that was something I could just think of later.

Actually, I realized, I had nothing to do for this hour. I could always choose to spend it worrying about everything and nothing or brooding like I used to in the past, but I didn't want that. I wanted to move forward, I wanted to act. There was one thing more that Madara was right about - there was a lot of things that had to be fixed.

And I too was an Uchiha, he seemed to forgot that. I could have it all. And more.

-:-

Truth to be told, from his experiments I expected nothing short of torture, so I was surprised and how... mildly unpleasant they turned out to be. I'd even go as far as to say that I was bored. He went on for hours at end, taking long breaks to write down his observations, he refused to answer any and all of my questions.

I was sitting on some odd backless chair, staring into a wall covered in inscriptions that faded in time or had been corroded by some acid splashes. My arms were tied to two posts on my sides, even though I assured him I was not going to fight him. I couldn't beat him, I wasn't stupid enough to try it.

Still, were I in his place, I'd take the precautions as well.

"Don't worry, Sasuke," he said approaching me when I almost dozed off again. "It was just an introduction. You can be certain that next time you won't be quite as bored. Though you'd be smart to enjoy those calm moments of numb boredom. You will miss them."

He untied my hands and threw my robe over me, but as I tried to get up I tumbled down. I was dizzy and weak, my legs couldn't hold me up.

"I thought you were stronger, Sasuke," he shook his head clicking his tongue mockingly. "Oh well, I guess you're still young. You have time."

"What have you done to me?" I asked realizing that my wrists were sporting quite visible rope burns. The pillars weren't there to make sure I didn't try anything, they were there to hold me. But how did I not realize I was falling?

"Nothing a good night's sleep won't fix," he said, washed his hands in the basin and left the room leaving me alone, sitting under the wall.

I've tried to get over this weakness in my muscles and get up, but the more I tried the weaker I was becoming. Finally I gave up and lied down, wondering if waht this cold floor could offer would count as a 'good night's rest'.

-:-

Sudden movement took me out my slumber. I realized I was shaking - it was cold and the light robe I was dressed in gave no protection from the cold. Someone picked me up from the ground, when I opened my eyes I saw it was Itachi. Last time I saw him he told me to go to Konoha, that whoever was in that troubling vision he would deal with him alone. Apparently, Madara had other plans. It was clear that it was he about whom Itachi told me about.

Now, it was different. Kyu was safe in Konoha, that in itself probably changed that future already. A butterfly effect, the slightest action could change everything in ways unimaginable.

I pretended to be out for a moment longer, I knew we had to talk, but I was still half-asleep. I let him carry me to some room and lay me down on the bed. He sat beside me and moved away bangs from my face. I heard water and soon felt a wet wipe brushing my face. I opened my eyes too look at him.

He was worried. The dark lines under his eyes were more prominent than usual, but that could've been just the candlelight trick. His hair was not tied in his customary ponytail, but lay loose on his shoulders.

"Sasuke," he whispered as he saw me awake. "There is blood on your clothes."

I looked down at myself but didn't really see anything. It was quite dark and my vision was still a little blurry.

"I don't think I'm wounded," I said truthfully. I didn't feel anything.

"You're under some kind of sedative, a painkiller maybe," he said and opened my eye wider, checking something. "He told me you were here, but nothing more. What happened? What did he do to you?"

"Long story and I don't know," I said.

I wondered what I should really say to him? 'How are you' seemed a little out of place.

"What time is it?" I asked instead.

"A bit after nine."

In the evening, judging by the darkness outside.

"We made a deal," I said, "I had to."

As I relied to him everything that happened since I last saw him, he continued to gently clean the blood off my skin. With my each word he looked more and more worried. I tried not to think about him, ridden by guilt and confusion about what happened at Eda's garden, but explaining to Naruto was also my explaining it to my own self. I missed him.

"He won't kill me," I said in the end, "whatever his plan is, he wants me alive so stop worrying already," I frowned at him.

Itachi smiled, "you know I won't. I understand your deal, but Sasuke, I can't watch to see you hurt."

"Trust me, I've had much worse," I said and tried to sit up. He helped me. "Whatever he gave me for the pain works wonders. I feel nothing."

"You have two wounds that haven't healed," he said. "The rest was just remnants of blood."

"Why did these two stay?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, he did something to keep them this way."

"Where are they?" I couldn't see any.

"One is here, on your back," he said tracing my skin beside the wound delicately, "the other on your side."

As his finger brushed my side I jerked away. He rose an eyebrow. He knew I wasn't in pain. And now I prayed he forgot.

His raised eyebrow told me he didn't. He brushed my side again and I muffled a whimper.

"Still ticklish?" he asked. "I thought you'd grow out of it."

"Don't, Itachi," I warned him trying to sound threatening. He wasn't fooled.

"Or what?" He did it again.

"Or I'll kill you!"

"Go ahead, you're about as dangerous as a puppy right now. Look," he let go of me and I fell back on the bed, "you can't even sit on your own. You, my little brother, are at my complete mercy," he said and began his torture.

At some point I could only beg him to have mercy and use his bloody Mangekyou on me instead.

-:-

When I was sure I was going to meet my maker as I suffocated from laughter, Itachi decided he had his share of sadistic fun for the evening and let me breathe. That moment of such out-of-place silliness was probably healthier than any talk for my psyche or disinfectant for my wounds. It was cleansing.

We talked for a bit afterwards, he told me about his childhood in Konoha, his training as a shinobi. I lay on his chest listening to his heart well after he felt asleep, thinking. Because there was a thought that would not let me go.

When I regained some of my strength I sat up and pressed my hands against his temples. I had to know what was wrong with him, and was not really surprised when I felt similar problems that Hinata had. I had no idea what it was. I could, maybe, find out in a while. Days, weeks, who knew. Then, I would need more and more time to try and find a cure, if I was even able to come up with anything. It was something more psychical than physical, but I was still no healer. And Madara's techniques were an enigma to me.

But it was not the thought that haunted me. I knew this disease was a distraction, something to keep me occupied, something to make me cooperative. Madara would get what he wanted off me one way or the other, the choice was nothing but an illusion.

The thought that truly haunted me was that Itachi was the only one who could mess up his plans. He had the power, he had the knowledge and he probably had the means. It was just a matter of time before he got the best of him. My brother was a true genius.

That meant one thing.

Madara would not let him live. He wouldn't kill him but this disease, no, but he would find another way, one of finesse and then he would kill Itachi.

I had to do something about it. Anything.

Worst case scenario, I had a month to plan.

**Naruto's PoV**

I was trying to lull Kyu to sleep, but she just kept babbling to herself quietly and chewing on a plushie I got her. Whatever one could say about her, she was a very good listener. I'd say a strong competition to Koi, the stray cat I used to take care of.

"You know, Kyu," I said, "there's something that doesn't let me rest. What if future has its way of circling around? What if we didn't really fix it yet? In one of the visions... your daddy came and killed me. He knew how to truly kill me, and you know what I wonder? Madara is the one who knows just how to do it. And now, Sasuke is with him. What if this is how it went? What if this was how he learnt how to do it? Because, Kyu, how else?"

My little girl giggled and smiled at me. I smiled back at her, but I couldn't help but remember that in that future, she was also going to die.


	51. Big S, Shy H, Little D

**A/N:** One of the last chapters. Ichi, ni, san.

I'm cold. And drunk, a little. It's late.

* * *

**- Chapter Fifty One -**

_- Big S, Shy H, Little D -_

**Sasuke's PoV**

"_I miss Konoha. The restaurants, the streets. People that I used to know, one could think, so well."_

"He takes such good care of you, doesn't he?" Madara asked. "Day or night."

As pain shoots through me again, I focus on his words. On my memories. So fresh, but as he presses his hand against my forehead they become almost distant, blurry, false. But I know they aren't and when he relents his touch everything goes back to normal.

But it's exactly when his hand rests on my head when I need those memories. That's why Itachi gave them to me. Made them for me, with me. So I can bear this.

_He was cleaning my wounds again, as Madara chose to left some of them open once more. He never told me the reason, he was testing something and I had no choice but to ignore it. I didn't ask him questions anymore, he wouldn't answer anyway. _

_I was sitting on a stool and peeling an orange he brought me. I didn't feel like eating anything else, no matter how much he insisted. "I spend my days sitting on a chair or lying on his freakshow table," I told my brother, "why would I need to eat more?"_

_He just rolled his eyes at me. Yeah, he explained it before. I was just being stubborn._

"_Every time he lays me on it I think he's going to dissect me." I made a sound that could remind a giggle, but wasn't quite that. "Kabuto used to have a table just like that. I don't think anyone got off it alive. And in once piece."_

_I hissed as Itachi brushed a wipe over my wound. Sometimes Madara drugged me, sometimes he didn't. On the days he didn't I could move normally, on the days he did there was no pain. It was all so fitting to that little game-scheme of his, no choice would ever be right. No option fully satisfying._

"You wait all day just to see him, that only positive aspect, the only moment of relief."

Pain.

"_What is that?" I asked Itachi as be set a box before me on the ground._

_I was sitting on the floor as he set me, leaning on the bed. He covered me with blanket, I realized that it were the drugs that made me so cold all the time. _

_Itachi sat on the other side of the box and opened it taking out some kind of a board game._

"_A game," he said. "Enough talking about him, otouto, it leads nowhere. This will be far more productive, trust me."_

_As we played, he sometimes had to move my pawn for me when I couldn't move my hand. Night before I told him about Madara's experiments and Itachi decided to give me some good time, relax, memories to go back to and smile at when the pain came again._

_That game we played was the most ludicrous thing I've seen in my life. Whoever created that game reminded me of Him. Naruto, I repeated his name in my mind. It was still odd after trying to never think it aloud for so long. Naruto._

_Itachi asked me about him every night. Of a little detail, small memory, thought, insult, what did I think he was doing. He made sure, the Dobe was never off my mind, never too far. _

I smiled at the memory of the little riddles written on the squares. I loved it.

"Your only anchor," Madara's voice resounded in my ears.

_I was on my knees, my face hidden in Itachi's lap. I ran into the room and before he could react I hid my face from his view. I was crying. I didn't want him to know, but I needed him close to me. It's been four maybe five days and I was already breaking. How fucking weak was I?_

"_Sasuke, what happened?" he asked me. Patient, calm. He put his hand on my head and began stroking me gently, not rushing me, not making me look up at him and show him my tears._

"_I don't know... I don't even know, nii-san," I said, trying to calm down, but right then and there, I've never felt that vulnerable in my life before. That fragile. _

_Maybe one time. In Itachi's Mangekyou. _

_Yet it was him right now, my tormentor, that I clung to with all my power like he was the last lifeline._

"_It was just a feeling... no images, no message. He didn't even wound me, he didn't touch me. But this feeling was a hundred times worse than any pain before..."_

"_Sasuke..."_

_I rose my head to look at him. He wouldn't judge me by my tears. _

"_There's nothing you can say..." I whispered to him. "There's nothing either of us can say. I just have to bear it. I have to bear it."_

_He pulled me up. "And you will, Sasuke, I know you will. Kami, if I could help you..."_

"_Just be," I told him. "Here."_

_He wiped a trail of tears off my cheek and leaned forwards, I knew I would kiss him. I knew I shouldn't. Not again, not this way._

_But I did anyway. "Help me..." I pleaded and he put his arms around me. _

_Right, wrong, it didn't matter at all. _

_What mattered was, that with his touch that feeling of terror was soon gone._

"Remember how I told you that you wouldn't be bored anymore?" Madara slapped me to force my eyes open. "That was three weeks ago, Sasuke-kun. And I think I've proven to you that I meant it when I said that I would never lie to you as long as we play the game?" he chuckled and pressed some metallic ring against my neck.

I writhed in pain. Frankly I didn't think he wanted to torture me at all, he didn't seem to take pleasure from my physical pain at all, he wasn't a sadist kind of Orochimaru. In this room he did what he had to do for his research and that was it. But the ghost of his game filled every other room of this place. And as the month grew closer and closer, it weighed on me heavier and heavier.

"Speaking of, I saw you in the library again this morning. How is it going? Badly, I assume?"

_The dawn was barely breaking when I woke up, as I did every day. Years of training to control my body were paying off. I got up from the bed, got dressed and walked out quietly not to wake Itachi up, heading for the library. I took out all the needed books and quickly found the pages I was working on. I was pretty sure Madara was checking what I was doing at some point or another, but I didn't worry about that._

_In truth, I was only trying to fill some blanks in my own knowledge. I had a plan and I only needed a few changes to what I already knew so damn well. _

_I opened their research on Jinchuuriki and got back to my notes. I was getting close to making sense of it, not just there yet, but there was a chance I would be done in time. Besides me I laid a few books on healing, lethal genjutsus and whatever crap I found that could be related to what he did to Itachi. _

_Not that any of it mattered, but if he bought it, good for me._

_Actually, there was no reason he wouldn't. After all, to a sane person my true plan would make little to no sense. Not that Madara was actually sane, but let's say... I was a different kind of insane._

_Nothing could drive one nuts as quickly and efficiently as sharing mind and body with Orochimaru._

_Nope, nothing._

"We're done for today," he said taking away the blasted metal. "Just in case you were wondering, Sasuke... everything goes according to plan."

As he left I dragged myself off the table and rushed back to Itachi's room. I was filled with anxiety, but this time it was all mine. And more than warranted.

"Sasuke?" he was sitting at the floor reading some book and eating. "Did something happen?"

"Not yet," I said coming over. I took away his book and throw it on the bed, his sandwich soon followed suit.

"What are you doing?"

"Me? I'm running out of time," I said as I straddled him and pressed my hands against his temples.

"Sasuke, stop," he said grabbing my hands and pulling them away. "What are you doing? Tell me, right now. I've let you have your way with this weird... technique test whatever for weeks, but this is it. You're telling me what the fuck you're doing."

"I'm not telling you jack," I said and pulled my arms from his grasp going back to what I was at.

"Sasuke!" he was annoyed, but I didn't care.

I pushed my chakra through and focused.

"Stop moving, dammit or I'll do something wrong and slice through your brain!" I said, one more time and I swore I was going to slap him. I exaggerated with the brain slicing thing, but it seemed to get him to calm down and let me do my thing.

When I was done and got off him he glared at me. I picked up his sandwich and ate it.

"I'm going to the library," I said.

"Sasuke, stop," he held me back by my arm. "You're doing something stupid, aren't you?"

"I'm doing what I want and it's none of your business," I freed myself from his grasp and walked out shutting the door behind me.

If I stayed he would grill me about that thing. But if I left, he'd have to come to me on my own terms. And sure enough, before an hour passed, he did. He threw me another sandwich on the table.

"For Kami's sake, at least eat something," he said leaning on the doorframe.

"Hn," I replied taking the peace offering. I was actually starving.

He approached me and I slammed the book shut. "Are you done asking questions?"

Itachi huffed in response. He was very unhappy about this, but I was not about to give him any choice in the matter. "Yes," he sat on the other chair, "I've got a new game. Interested?"

"Maybe in a moment. When I stop being pissed."

_..one week later.._

"Wake up," I heard Madara's voice. I rose my head up. My spine was killing me and I had a serious headache. My nose had gone numb to the smell of the old library, I fell asleep during my research again. I tried to fight it, but I was exhausted.

"It's time," he said, "but today the plan's a little different. You do know that by the nightfall today our deal will be over? You will have your freedom again. But there are a few things we've got to discuss beforehand. Follow me. The tests are over."

Not waiting for me he left the room. I got up and went after him. The more awake I was the more anxiety filled me.

The past few weeks became a trance to me. Whatever I felt as the days went by, deep down there was a kind of peace, stability. There was time and in that remaining time I could do nothing big, I couldn't change anything. I acted, but in reality I was just floating with the stream.

But today my raft was held down.

Abandon ship and run. Or fight.

We walked outside and I took a moment to breathe in the fresh air, feel the wind I was denied for the past month. He turned to me and handed me some scroll. I opened it and skimmed through the writings, but I couldn't immediately make sense of it.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Today a proof, tomorrow a gift. Study it, take your time."

"What about Itachi?" I asked. "About his cure?"

"All in its right time," he said lying down on the grass and spreading his arms. "Go on, and enjoy the sun. It'd be a sin to hold you inside today."

I looked down at the scroll and began reading it attentively.

After a while I realized what I was looking at - this was what Naruto told me about. This was the way to break the bond between us, the way to kill him. He wrote it down, he could do it.

A proof today.

"What is your deal, Madara," I asked him, tearing the scroll into bits.

A gift tomorrow?

He looked at me, his eyes shining red with permanently active Sharingan.

"So impatient... I guess, it's no surprise. Fine, let's deal," he said and summoned me closer, but I didn't budge. "I have a choice for you, Sasuke. You have two options, one is to cure Itachi, the other... is. Which one do you pick?"

"You didn't tell me what the other option is."

"True. If you pick it blindly, I'll give you till the end of today to deal with it... however you choose. If you want to know before you pick, it will happen right here and now."

"What kind of deal is that?"

"A bad one!" he laughed.

"Does it have anything to do with the scroll?" I asked. "Will you keep your promises you gave me a month ago?"

"Depends how you look at it and yes, I will."

He told me he wouldn't have me pick between anyone, but this way he didn't. He was having me pick between one person and an unknown alternative.

"Is the other choice someone's death? Naruto's death?" I asked.

Surprisingly, he answered. "No."

"Have you ever read my mind?"

"No, that'd be cheating, Sasuke. In case you actually hatched some silly plan or another, I want you to have your fair chance. By all means, surprise me," he smirked. "But, time's passing, and I'm still waiting for your decision. Enough questions, now it's time for your answer."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. There was no way I could choose to let Itachi die from this disease. Yes, I was going to pick whatever Madara wanted me to choose and I realized that he won this part of his game. I couldn't choose otherwise.

The other option was still an unknown and if it meant that the game would go on it also meant I could still win.

"I choose the other option," I said.

His smile widened. "Excellent, Sasuke-kun."

**Naruto's PoV**

I admit, it was a bit silly and unrealistic to expect him to come back at dawn of the day his deal with Madara was over, but nevertheless I found myself before the gate to Konoha, gaping into the road. I was sitting down on a rock and eating some make-shift breakfast, I had Kyu with me in a basket on my back. As long as she was asleep I had to really take care to remember she was there cause she felt like a backpack and nothing else.

I was adamant to sit there for hours if need be.

He promised me he would be back. He wouldn't break the promise unless something terrible happened.

Which wouldn't, of course, cause there's been too many terrible things already, we had to catch a break. The laws of karmic justice demanded it.

**Sasuke's PoV**

'Tell him everything if you wish, Sasuke,' he told me, 'go ahead, doubt yourself, by all means.'

To doubt myself was not in my blood, but this time I did. Why did Madara want him to tell Itachi of the deal? What had he to gain by it?

In the end, it didn't matter.

I looked at Itachi, his face just inches away from mine.

"You won't this duel," he said quietly.

"I know. That's why I told you."

"I'm not done, little brother. I swear. I'll make this right. I do have a plan, you know," he smiled, cupping my face.

That was exactly the problem. Madara knew it as well and just as I thought he found a way to kill Itachi, a way more finesse than a simple disease or poison.

Me.

"I'll watch over you," he said.

"I have one last thing to ask of you," I said, careful about choosing my words.

"Yes?"

"Whatever happens, promise me one thing. You will make me remember, for just one moment if nothing else, no matter the cost, Itachi. For the last moment, when you see me, I want you to see me as I am today. Not as I will be tomorrow, not as I was yesterday. This, right now, is real. Promise me this. Make another deal with him, I don't care. Just make it happen."

He looked at me in silence for a moment, before saying: "I promise."

**General PoV**

Itachi sat motionless for what felt like hours, he let go of his thoughts. His plan was clear, circumstances changed, but the result would have to be the same.

When Madara came to remove whatever illness he put on him, he knew - the deal was done.

"How did he do?" he asked the older Uchiha.

"As expected," Madara replied.

"Now I have an offer for you," Itachi said. "A choice, if you will. I can run away and have him chase me for years and you know that before he get me he won't go for Uzumaki. He needs this step, he needs to break. He had a chance before and he didn't kill Naruto. He won't this time either. So you can spend years or months trying to work around it, or try to force to play your game which I won't. I will make him doubt. And that doubt will ruin what you've got planned, Madara."

"Or?"

"Or I can give your show-down. Play the role you wish me to play. Make it perfect for you."

"The price? Just... be reasonable."

"Make him remember everything when I die. Not permanently, I know that would void everything you do. Take it all back afterwards, but for the moment of my death, I want him to remember every single thing."

"Oh... I love this!" Madara explained. "Deal, my dear Itachi, deal. It will be priceless to watch him realize what he's done as he remember everything! Oh, hilarity, why would you ever want to put him through such torture, Itachi? Maybe we're not as different after all?"

"No..." Itachi said. "It's just something you will never understand."

**Naruto's PoV**

He didn't come. Maybe I got the date wrong? Maybe this month was actually longer? Maybe he had to stop by some village to buy supplies, maybe...

I threw another bag full of wrecked furniture out into the yard. I would take them away sometime later. I grabbed a wipe and started dusting an old shelf, but two minutes later I decided I'd do better to sort out the junk in the cellar.

Or maybe I should take out the clothes he outgrew already?

Yeah, maybe.

Suddenly I heard a noise coming from the living room and I bolted into the wild run.

"Sasuke?!"

But as I entered the room I only found a note on the table. I frowned and opened it.

_Meet me at the inn. Go when you receive this._

There was a beak hole in the corner of the letter.

So the month indeed did pass. It's just something went wrong. Or good, it could've just gone great, right?

Whatever this was, it was better than this uncertainty.

I grabbed Kyu and dropped her off at Ino's to the girl's delight.

-:-

"Is he alive?" the question left my lips before I even set both feet inside.

Itachi was sitting at the table, a cup of tea before him. It was cold, but it didn't seem he even tasted it.

I hopped on a pillow on the other side of the table and repeated before he even had a chance to reply. "Is Sasuke alive?!"

"Yes."

I sighed with relief. "Where is he? Is he somewhere here?" I looked around. Was he hiding somewhere behind the corner? His idea of joke?

"No, Naruto."

"Is he okay?" I turned back to the Uchiha I used to fear so much in the past. I still felt so uneasy under his gaze, a shiver than run down my spine told me so.

"He will be," Itachi said. "But things got complicated."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I need your help, Naruto. Yours and an old... friend of yours', one you haven't seen in a while, I believe."

"Kyuubi?" I asked. "I thought he was... gone?"

"He's not gone. So tell me, Naruto, how would you feel about a little reunion? And then, a little murder... or two?"

* * *

**A/N:** And how are you?


	52. The Memory of You

**A/N:** One chapter left after this one.

Kaboom.

* * *

**- Chapter Fifty Two -**

_- The Memory of You -_

"We play the game no more, Sasuke."

**Naruto's PoV**

To unseal Kyuubi while I was fully conscious and aware would be an act of cruelty, Itachi told me. He put me in some sort of stasis that in some distinct way reminded me of when I was dying, all those months ago.

Back then I saw him as well, hovering above me as he did now, but now he was alone and there was no pain. His fingers rested on my shoulder and neck, where Orochimaru placed his seal.

I was relieved to hear Kyuubi wasn't gone. Ever since I heard he was, there was always something missing.

I don't know how long Itachi was working on me, I drifted in and out of consciousness constantly, sometimes hearing scraps of their conversation. Yes, they were talking.

"_The less he knows the better."_

What was his plan? Did he need me or he did he just need Kyuubi? He told me nothing, but I decided to trust him nevertheless. Was I a fool? Was the history repeating itself? In chase of Sasuke I trust the wrong person, fall into the wrong hands and that's the end of me.

No, it couldn't be. Sasuke truly trusted Itachi. And so should I. Even if he didn't mean well to me, he meant well to Sasuke.

"_**So he can kill us. And so can you. I must think for a moment here, I can't yet decide if I should be scared or not really."**_

I was out again. I was hearing the words, but I think about them. It was so hard to focus when you were trapped betwixt a dream and reality.

"_**You do know that it will... demolish my vessel, don't you, Uchiha?"**_

Break.

"_**And so the plot grows fat," **__Kyuubi seemed to laugh, __**"Lies, I must say, are quite, quite nutritious."**_

-:-

**Rise and shine, Kit. It's nearing showtime.**

-:-

I felt like a puppet in their hands. Do this, do that, like this, like that. I wanted to know what was going on, but neither of them told me. 'You're too emotional, Naruto. This is a delicate matter,' that smug Uchiha told me and I'd tell him what I thought about it if not for the fact that he might've been right.

I was emotional. And you know what? I was proud of it!

If it meant I had to follow their plans somewhat blindly so be it.

After all, I think I was meant to die at the end of them. It was better not to know how.

It was odd, I would that I would try to fight it, ask, find some other way, it was unlike me to just... agree to this. But when I thought about it as I followed the red thread of chakra that led me, I began to understand.

Since I died, each day I treated as a miracle, as a gift, a borrowed time. Even during the darkest of times each morning I woke up grateful that I could open my eyes, move my arms and legs, breathe. I felt it wasn't my life to live, just a strange, strange gift.

Maybe that was it. Maybe I was, after all, living on a borrowed time, and karma did indeed work. Maybe I got blessed with this borrowed time to finish what I wanted to do so damn bad.

Bring Sasuke back home.

Itachi told me that when our plan is concluded he will regain his memories. And I knew that once he does, he will come back home, to Konoha. Whether I will be there or not. He had family there - blood one, his daughter, and other - Kakashi. I knew how much he cared. And now that he would have an open road, a choice unobstructed by anything, there was no reason he wouldn't go back.

So maybe that was just how it was supposed to be. Maybe I did fix the future in the end and set it all on the right course.

My task seemed was clear. I had to get close to Madara for a while. Just... be in his vicinity for whatever Kyuubi wanted to do. To find though, I had to find Sasuke and I feared it more than anything. How could I face him now?

Did he see the thread? It was but a gesture he did back then to let me know he wouldn't leave again, but today I had to use it, though I hoped I would never have to. I followed the barely visible reddish line for hours and that it was not gone by now could mean it was just me who saw it.

Yeah, it was nearing showtime.

-:-

I would rather he pierced my heart with his sword a hundred times that looked at me with this indifferent gaze.

I'd rather he hated me than didn't care at all.

And yet there we were, face to face. I looked into his eyes, black as two pieces of obsidian. Cold as stones. In my head I still saw them sparkling with emotions, for me. Any and all emotions, from fear through anger to pure annoyance.

I felt like trying to tell him the truth, make him remember everything, but I knew it was ridiculous.

I also knew that this would pass. It would pass, his memory would be back. Itachi had a plan.

But would #I# ever see him different? Or was this moment right now the best I could hope for?

"Why would I take you to him?" Sasuke asked.

"Why wouldn't you? I have an offer for him, he'll be thrilled. And I guess, in the end, so will you."

"You've changed," he said.

"Maybe I did."

I was staring in the eyes of the past. He expected me to scream, cry, try to fight him to take him back home and I'm sure that those eleven months ago I would do just that. I wasn't in the mood to play a role though. I wanted to see him but at the same time I couldn't bear it, I wanted him gone from my sight. It was so painful.

"Hn. It better be worth my time."

-:-

We had to stop once to rest. The night was falling and the place so similar to the one we spent the night at when we were coming back home from Eda's gardens, after Hinata's death. We argued then and I wanted to argue with him now.

I wanted to be able to talk to him, to hit him, to say anything or smack him with a stick. I'd want him to steal my dinner, insult me, or scare me so I fell into thorny bushes.

But he didn't even seem to notice me. On his finger he still had a ring I gave him. "Where did you get that ring?" I asked him, I didn't even know why I did that.

Without turning to look at me, he said: "I'm not here to talk to you."

He was yet again bitter, consumed by the thoughts of his revenge, of power. Whatever he remembered of Orochimaru's death, I didn't know. He was wearing an Akatsuki robe now, as Madara cleansed parts of his memory, he must've added new, fake memories in their place.

I didn't even care.

I lied down on the ground and curled up to a ball. Closing my eyes, I began to imagine how our meeting would look like, how this evening would look like if he could remember.

He would sit by the fire like he did now, but I would lie beside him with a blanket over my face because the fire would be too hot and bright. I would be telling him stories of Kyu, of how things were back in Konoha. I'd plan things we would do when we're back, after Madara was dead and he would grunt and tell me to shut up threatening to smother me with my blanket because such things have always drove him mad.

I would tell him how happy I was that he was back and damn worried I was about him when he was gone. How I might've accidentally broken the glass table in his living room, but I how I cleaned so many other things. He'd be terrified I trashed some of the things he wanted to keep and he would right, because I probably did. Not on purpose of course.

But then my little fantasy started to change and derail itself and I no longer saw us bickering happily. He was telling me about the choice he made, about Itachi's death that he chose to keep his memory. About his gilt, disappointment. He was crying.

I shook my head and opened my eyes to will the fantasy away as it lost its charm. Last thing I wanted was for him to feel guilty or blame himself for anything. To lose his family.

I reached towards the wooden box with the glass flower inside and I pressed it against my chest. I remembered everything, I didn't need a forget-me-not, but I couldn't give it to him, so I imagined that I was holding it for him.

For good luck.

-:-

**Use his vanity and confidence against him, Kit.**

Shush you! I'm not dumb. And I think I've gotten pretty good in this whole 'dealing with Uchihas' business.

Insolent fox. Thinking he knew everything better than me. Pshaw.

There I was, face to face with Uchiha Madara yet again, but this time I was holding the cards. Well, at least a few of them.

"I'm listening," he said, crossing his arms on his chest.

"I come to deal with you."

"Interesting," he seemed highly amused by my statement. "I have to say, I did hope something like that would happen, but I didn't truly expect it. I mean, how well could all of this go? Well tell me, Uzumaki Naruto, what kind of deal might you have in mind? I'm *so* curious."

"I want to know your plans," I said. "All of them."

"Haha, and why would you want such a thing?" he asked.

"None of your business. This is what I want."

"Alright, and what pray tell could you offer me in return?"

I took a deep breath. This was the right choice. This was the right way. They knew what they were doing.

"Kyuubi," I said. "I will explain to you how we survived and you will be able to finish your extraction."

It would take time. And time was all that we needed. Stall tactic, nothing more.

**Calm down, Kit. I know what I'm doing. He won't even notice the seal has been broken already. I'm a good trickster. Your job is not to die of heart attack so get your shit together. That's how you mortals say it, isn't it?**

"Hm..." Madara gave me a half-smile. "And you're willing to do that in exchange for my plans? What do you intend to gain, Naruto, I seriously have to wonder. This is foolish even for you."

"You think yourself so much smarter than me, don't you?" I asked. "Well if you're so sure that I'm no threat to you, why don't just agree?"

"Oh it just feels like tricking a baby..."

"Fine, then don't take it!" I said and turned around. He wouldn't let me live, I was sure of that.

"Wait," he said and laughed. "You got yourself a deal, Naruto. Oh, if only Sasuke still cared I'd be delighted to tell him that all of his efforts and what he's been through the past month were just thrown out of the window, as his beloved friend walked right back into the deals that he tried to so hard to keep him out of. I guess I can't have it all. Not yet anyway."

-:-

It was like a long, long slumber. I was unconscious almost all of the time. Either through Madara's actions or those of Kyuubi. This time I truly felt like nothing but a vessel to him. I quickly lost track of time and Kyuubi didn't care to keep it. He never measured time like humans did, it all seemed relative to him. He had his goals - or the lack of them - and just acted or existed.

Sometimes he seemed to remember who I was and how I was and threw me some cheerful scrap of information.

'All's well.'

'I'm working.'

'It's working.'

'Fine so far, Kit.'

Madara did tell me all about his plan as was our deal. I listened to him, but in end it was all somewhat irrelevant aside of one detail that I had to use.

He wanted immortality, I knew as much from the vision he showed me before. To achieve that, he had to kill me. Or actually, have Sasuke do so. It was quite as easy as Sasuke didn't seem interested in the immortality at all right now. He planned it all - he would have him kill Itachi as they would meet. It seemed that he had made another deal with Itachi that would make that fight happen.

I knew nothing of it and I was discovering more and more things that were kept from me. As it was not Madara's plan, he didn't feel like telling me why Itachi agreed to something that. He told me I would enjoy it far more if I had an element of surprise.

He promised me quite a show.

He told me what his plans were in regard to me and how he didn't need my help with anything at all.

He would break my bond with Sasuke making me completely dependent on the chakra he would feed me. He didn't even need Samehade to keep me alive, but from what I've learnt, the moment the bond was broken, I was mortal again.

Everything seemed to make sense.

The one thing I had to take care of was being there when Itachi faced Sasuke.

That was always the part of the plan, I just thought it was going to look quite differently. They were supposed to fight?

Itachi was supposed to trigger something to help Sasuke regain his memory and then we would strike at Madara. But how was he supposed to use the trigger if Sasuke was there to fight him? There would be no reasoning with him, no stopping him. I only that that Sasuke had to be close to us, but... that close?

What was the trigger?

How were we going to kill Madara?

And when. Would Kyuubi have enough time?

I guessed so. They probably calculated everything.

I hoped so.

-:-

I thought that the chill when Sasuke was away felt awful, but only when Madara actually broke the bond between did I felt and understood why some people believed hell was freezing.

I lay on the floor shivering, alone in some cell he put me in. I wasn't his guest, I was his prisoner and with Kyuubi unsealed he wouldn't risk my being able to go anywhere.

I didn't care. Kyuubi told me it would be over soon. What were a few more days chained to the wall compared to everything I've been through before? Nooothing.

A wild shiver ran through me and I curled up. The floor was hard and I was cold. That was all.

Physically anyway.

-:-

**Today, Kit.**

I woke up hearing Kyuubi's voice, I was sleeping really lightly in this place.

Today what?

**Today everything.**

How do you know that?

**He told me.**

Tell you? Were you having some social meetings or what?!

**Somewhat. **

Kyuubi...

I suddenly felt really scared. I wanted to trust everything and everyone so much I forgot who I was dealing with. What if now... now he could leave me and side with Madara, what if he...

**Stop panicking, it's annoying.**

But I...

**I'm on your side, Kit, **he said smoothly, slowly. His tone was chilling me to the bone. **Come on, I thought we had something here. I'm hurt.**

I'm sorry?

**Just... watch.**

Watch what?!

**For fuck's sake, patience. It was a figure of moment.**

What are you talking about, you stupid fox?! I'm in no mood for your- your... stuff!

His laugh echoed through my skull. He was done talking. And I was left alone in this darkness again. Anxious.

Today?

Was this his showtime?

-:-

The door to my cell opened and Madara let me out of my bonds then took me outside without saying a word. He motioned for me to follow. It was a while before he spoke to me.

"Kyuubi didn't want to miss this, and I think you might appreciate it as well. It is going to be such an important moment in the life of your friend. I'm sure somewhere, deep deep down, he would like to have you nearby."

Each his word dripped with mockery. I said nothing and followed him.

**I knew he would not miss a chance to show you all of this. He wants to see your misery just as he wants to see theirs.**

You sound awfully giddy, Kyuubi. You happy to see my misery too, aren't you?

**I'm more curious to see how you handle it. Hey, it's not like I'd put you through it on purpose, is it? **

I'm going to die today, and I'm pretty sure you found a way to survive it. So you could... let it go.

**Oh is that what you think?**

What is that supposed to mean?

**Nothing. Nothing at all.**

-:-

"Don't try shouting or running towards them or whatever crosses your mind," Madara told me as we stood in the big forest clearing. "They won't see neither of us as long as I keep us hidden."

I felt as if I was watching the clearing through a mist. There they were, Itachi and Sasuke, standing across one another.

"There is something you should know to fully appreciate the scene," he said, "Itachi made one last deal with me before he left. Sasuke will regain his memories, for a moment, when his brother will be dying right before his eyes."

The trigger. Lethal wound.

That was when I understood everything. Itachi was going to die and the moment Sasuke regained his memories Madara had to die as well to never take them away again.

A murder.

Or two.

I stared at them and I think I was going to cry. I remembered how Sasuke was speaking of him last time we talked. How much it meant to him that he could stop hating, stop trying to chase him that he had a chance to have him back. I was truly happy for him.

Yet now I was helpless and Sasuke was going to kill him.

I could do nothing but watch them fight.

"Love is something amazing," Madara said. "It just trumps all over one's survival instinct. I understand when a mother protects her offspring, but with us humans it can reach so much farther, can't it. Just look," he pointed ahead, "how he purposefully makes mistakes. He plays his role, but more and more he #lets# Sasuke win."

And then he did.

Sasuke's sword pierced through Itachi's abdomen and came out the other side.

I screamed.

"Shush, this is where the best part begins!" Madara cackled.

**Indeed, **Kyuubi's voice resonated in my mind.

**Sasuke's PoV**

My mind was assaulted by images, sounds, feeling, I couldn't sort through them all, I couldn't sort through any of them. They all rushed before my mind, my eyes, numbed my senses, completely blocked the outer world.

Then slowly began to calm down, make sense, one after another and all at once, but I was beginning to know, beginning to understand.

The life I've been living for past two weeks was nothing but a goose chase lined with lies, stories. It became clear what was an illusion and what was true. I saw it all clearly, I understood and I remembered.

The images dispersed and I found myself in the middle of the clearing where I was facing my brother in a farce created by Uchiha Madara.

Itachi stood in front of me, his lips twisting up in a little smile, from the corner of them escaped a small trail of blood.

My hand was holding a blade.

I looked down and saw the handle of my sword, the one I held, against Itachi's stomach. It went through him.

I remembered the blow.

"Aniki?" I asked weakly as I dared to look at his face again. I let go of the blade and took a step back.

What have I done?

His Sharingan swirled and suddenly I lost feeling in my body, I fell to my knees.

"What is..."

He put his finger against my lips. "What needs to be," he said.

"Itachi, no! No, no!" I cried to him. "Please, don't do this, please I need to move, please!"

This was not supposed to happen! He didn't know, but I could never tell him. I couldn't because he would never let me try. But he couldn't walk away! He had to let me! He had to!

"I told you I'd always watch over you, otouto," he said and poked my forehead as he always used to do. Then he turned around, I saw my blade still in his wound. He didn't take it out, he wasn't ready to die yet and it was the only thing keeping him alive.

"No, please, I beg of you!" I shouted behind him, "come back..."

"I will, Sasuke," he said. "You are the last thing I will see."

**Naruto's PoV**

I couldn't believe this was happening.

**Attack him, Kit. Now!**

What?

**Bite, strangle, kick, anything, now!**

He didn't have to tell me twice. Well, he did, but that was more than enough. I turned to Madara fuming, I was raging about what he's done, his little show, his sadistic fucking game. I cried out and launched myself at him, not caring in the least about the consequences.

I tackled him to the ground and felt sharp pain as hit me with some jutsu.

Whatever.

"Rasengan!" I cried out and formed it from the chakra I had left. If I used too much I would die, but I would show him pain.

I smashed it right into his chest.

**Sasuke's PoV**

Suddenly air moved and I saw some cloaking jutsu fall off revealing Madara and Naruto... they must've been here the whole time.

That, or I was hallucinating. I was wounded myself and though I knew that none of my wounds was lethal, I lost a lot of blood.

Itachi was going towards them. He was making some seals and I saw Naruto form his Rasengan. Itachi shouted some word I couldn't recognize I watched as Kyuubi's chakra flowed out of Naruto and surrounded my brother.

What in the world was going on...

Itachi picked Naruto up, effortlessly and tossed him aside like a ragdoll.

A burst of light surrounded them.

I had to close my eyes.

I couldn't look at it.

Itachi was going to die.

-:-

Come back come back come back.

Just one minute just one step.

Come back come back come back.

I repeated those words like a mantra, praying to whatever god might be listening.

Come back come back come back.

I felt a hand on my chin, the other one covered my eyes as he rose my head up.

"Don't open your eyes, please," I heard Itachi's quiet voice. "Just let me look at you... for a moment..."

"No!" I screamed, "no! Realease me! Now! I beg of you, let me move!"

I was desperate, I shook my head violently to get rid of his hand holding it.

"Kai," he said and let go off me.

I gasped when I saw him. He was bleeding from his mouth, his nose, half of his skin was burnt off. There was shred marks on his arms, his chest.

"Itachi..." I whispered and I saw pain reflect in his eyes.

No. No. He was not dead yet, he was looking at me. I shook off my shock and started hastily forming the seals to my technique. It had to be now. It wasn't good, I could've made a mistake or a thousand of them, but I had to try, had to try to matter what.

"Sasuke, what are you doing, you can't help me..." he took the sword out of his belly fell onto the ground, not taking his eyes off me. He wanted to see me.

"Good," I said, "look at me. Watch me. I can. I can. Nii-san, I can, I swear I can. Just look at me. Don't close your eyes."

My hands moved frantically as I whispered the words that would help me remember them all.

"Sasuke, please, stop... It's alright, I love you, okay? I knew this would happen. I just wish you didn't see me like this as the last time..."

He closed his eyes.

No.

"Itachi!"

I wasn't ready. I wasn't done yet!

"I need time!" I hollered at him. I didn't know what to do. I leaned in and bit his lip. "Kiss me!" I ordered. He was in pain, but I wasn't thinking. There was no time to think. His lips parted slightly and he tried to kiss me back. I pressed my hands against his temples.

It was a moment more. Just that, one moment.

His arm twitched, he wanted to touch me but he didn't have the power to. It was okay. As long as he wanted to, as long as he tried he was still not gone.

I broke the kiss and finished the jutsu.

The pain that shot through me was comparable to nothing I've felt before. I was screaming, but I only knew that because of pain in my throat as my voice gave out.

Something went wrong.

I failed.

But at least I got a chance to try.

-:-

The pain must've knocked me out, I didn't remember anything after it. When I woke up I was surrounded by complete silence, broken only by whispering of trees and chirping of birds.

I was still aching all over, but it was all a numb pain.

Itachi was gone.

I did what I could and then I failed.

But that was not all. I had to find Naruto. Why didn't he wake up yet? Was he knocked out harder than I was?

I turned my head away from Itachi's body and only then did I open my eyes. I saw Naruto lying far away, by the entrance to the forest.

"Naruto!" I screamed, in hopes he would hear me and wake up, but that didn't happen.

I tried to stand up and run towards him, but suddenly I realized that I couldn't. I didn't feel my legs at all.

I looked down my body in terror, but they were still there, both and in one piece. I hit my thigh, but I felt nothing.

The technique I did.

That's what went wrong, that's why I was in so much pain. It must've fried my nerves or something.

It didn't matter right now, I'd worry about it later.

"Naruto!" I shouted again.

Nothing. How long have I been out?

Using my hands I started to crawl towards him. The ground was scraping over my wounds. They haven't healed. Why didn't they heal?

"Naruto!" I cried out.

He couldn't be dead as well. No god was that cruel.

I didn't stop moving, I grabbed patches of grass and pulled myself forward. When I reached him I fell limp on the ground, I could barely breathe. I was beyond exhausted.

When I gathered my strength I put my hand under his nose.

He wasn't breathing.

When I checked his pulse I felt nothing. I squeezed his wrist as if that would make it come back, but it didn't.

"Dobe, wake up! This isn't funny!" I shook him. "You've already done this dying thing, you're getting repetitive! Stop it, moron..."

But he didn't move.

Corners of his lips didn't ride up in a sneaky smile.

"Naruto, please don't do this to me..." I asked quietly.

On his neck there was a wooden box with that glass flower junk he took from my house. I opened it and looked at the thing. Was this some trinket of power? Why was this so important to him?

I brought the forget-me-not to his face. "Look, Dobe, here's your flower," I said. "How's it work? What do I do with it?"

I hit his chest. I couldn't even try to resuscitate him. I didn't have power to try and sit, I couldn't use my legs to keep balance.

All I had was this bloody flower. But it wasn't working. Why wasn't it working...

"Please?" I asked.

Nothing.

I looked into the small glass leaves of the forget-me-not. I could see my eyes reflect in them.

I remembered what Naruto told me about this snow-ridden vision of the future Madara showed him.

"You like irony?!" I hollered to nobody in particular. There was nobody left I could hate or blame. "I'll show you some fucking irony!"

I looked into the leaf and my eyes and as a Sharingan swirled in them I found myself sitting alone in a snow. It was so cold.

"Look at me!" I said. "Look at me! You think my being unable to freeze to death was pathetic?! How about now?! I can't even go to the fucking snow and TRY TO!"

"I knew you'd come, Sasuke-kun," I heard familiar voice of Orochimaru. I knew it so well I could project it flawlessly. "Didn't you know that as well?


	53. Family Portrait III: Meaning of 'to Live

**A/N:** This is the last chapter-chapter, but a short epilogue will follow :) I don't know if I covered eeeeverything in here, but it's a monster as it is. Apologies for any stupid typos and stuff, but I can't proof read this thing. Time's running, running, running [e-cookie to whoever gets the reference hah].

**Warnings:** Imagine eating a plush toy. A very fluffy one.

* * *

**- Chapter Fifty Three -**

_- Family Portrait III: Meaning of 'to Live' -_

**Naruto's PoV**

I woke to a wonderful feeling. It was something like when you're so thirsty and then you get yourself a glass of cold coke. But I've learnt to know it as something else - someone was feeding me chakra.

Before I even managed to open my eyes fully I was caught in a suffocating hug. For a moment all the world was pink and through the strands of pink I could somewhat see Kakashi-sensei's features.

"Sakura-chan?" I asked.

"Kami, Naruto, you scared the crap out of us!" she exclaimed not letting go of me. "What in the world happened here?"

Her question kicked me back to reality.

"Where is Sasuke?" I asked liberating myself from her hug.

"He's..."

"Where is Sasuke?!" I yelled as I looked around me and I couldn't see him anywhere.

"He's alive, calm down, Naruto," Kakashi crouched beside me and put his hand on my shoulder. "He's with Tsunade and Jirayia.

He was alive.

I breathed out in relief and fell back onto the ground.

The bastard was alive.

Come what may now.

"What happened to me?" I asked. "I want to see him."

"Patience, Naruto!" Sakura berated me and I realized she was giving me some kind of check-up. I was still a bit out of it.

"We actually thought you would tell us," Kakashi said and wiped blood off his hand. He was the one holding Samehade and the one to feed me his chakra.

"Thanks for that," I said nodding towards his hand.

"You're welcome."

"You were out for a day or two," Sakura said. "When we found you, you were in some kind of low-vitals state. I thought you were dead, you didn't breathe, your heartbeat was so slow I would have to wait minutes to feel it. Luckily Tsunade-sama saw through this state. I've heard there were people being buried alive because of something like that. How did it happen?"

"I don't know... maybe it was something Kyuubi did? I don't know what happened exactly..."

I tried to recount the events of the past - as it turned out - two and a half weeks, from the moment I met with Itachi to the moment Kyuubi left me and I got tossed aside.

Sakura and Kakashi listened intently to everything I said.

"What... happened to them?" I asked finally, but I was afraid I knew the answer about Itachi. I didn't think he had any chance to survive.

"They are both dead," Sakura said and Kakashi nodded.

"Does Sasuke know yet? Was he knocked out as well?"

"Naruto, there is something you need to know," Kakashi said. Why was he so serious? "Sasuke is in a coma."

"What?" I asked in a mere whisper.

"When we found you, he was lying here, beside you, but he was trapped in some kind of genjutsu. I broke it, but he didn't wake up."

"Coma?" I repeated blankly. "Please, Kakashi-sensei, I need to see him! I feel fine, I was just clocked over the head and de-Kyuubid or something."

To prove my point I got up. I was really feeling just fine. Whatever happened to me seemed to be nothing serious. I was awake.

"Alright," Kakashi said, "come."

He brought me to a small camp not far from where they found me. Sasuke was lying down on the blanket, beside him sat Tsunade and Jirayia.

When they saw me, they both bolted up and towards me. "Naruto!" Tsunade screamed and caught me in a hug, but I couldn't focus on her.

"Baa-chan, I'm happy to see you, I am, but..."

"I know, I know, go," she let me go and I ran towards Sasuke.

I fell to my knees beside him and just looked at him for a long while. They were talking about something in hushed voices, but I didn't care. His wounds were cleaned and bandaged, some of them already healed, but his clothes were torn to shreds, his hair a mess. I started to comb them with my fingers, I didn't even know why, it was such a silly thing to do at that moment.

"You better wake up, bastard," I whispered to him so that nobody else would hear me. "I need you."

My hands were shaking, but what I was feeling was still a mixture of fear and relief. I barely remembered the two weeks I was in Madara's cell, the memories still fresh in my mind was the month I spent worrying about Sasuke as he left just when I got him back. Even though I tried to stay positive throughout all this time, my mind presented me with countless scenarios where I would never get him back.

Because he left.

Because he died.

Now I was facing the truth, the reality. And it was neither of my nightmares. He didn't leave, he was right here, I was disentangling his hair. He didn't die, I could feel his warm skin under my touch and his slow, shallow breaths on my wrist.

It nowhere near the worst.

But I just missed him so much... and he would have me wait again.

There was one question that I feared to ask yet had to, before I could truly sigh with relief.

"Will he wake up?"

Tsunade came over to me and kissed me on the head. "He will. He's in some kind of shock, once it passes, he will wake up."

I looked up at her, she was smiling.

And slowly I managed to smile back at her.

It was over.

It was all over and Sasuke would wake up.

"Can we go home?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Naruto," Kakashi said, "we can't give them official burial in Konoha, but from what I understand Itachi does deserve one."

"Yes," I said. "He does. But I think Sasuke should be there. When he's back."

"We can't wait that long."

"I know. Bury him, but... the burial, we'll do it when he's awake," I replied. "And Madara... let him rot."

"Naruto..." Sakura wanted to say something, but I rose my hand silencing her.

"No. No, Sakura-chan. He's responsible for all of this. He's the reason I'll have to tell Sasuke that his brother is dead. He's the reason Itachi suffered more than he ever deserved to. Let. Him. Rot."

She nodded. "If you say so."

"I'll stay with Kakashi and bury the body," Jirayia said, "you head back to Konoha. He needs to be in the hospital."

"Can you bury him close to the village walls at least?" I asked. "He would want to be close to home."

"Yes," Kakashi said. "We will."

I picked up Sasuke's limp body from the ground.

"You sure you can carry him?" Tsunade asked.

"I'm fine, Baa-chan," I said. "Strong as ever."

Kakashi passed her my sword and they disappeared into the clearing.

"Let's go then," she said and we were on our way.

-:-

When we saw the gate to Konoha, I stopped in my tracks. Baa-chan turned to me.

"What is it Naruto? Something's wrong?"

"No. No, I just, I think I need a moment," I smiled.

"Do you want me to take him?" she asked me again with that concerned frown.

"Baa-chan, I'm fine, stop worrying! Remember how I had to carry Chouji back after he ate some fishy mushrooms on a mission?"

She couldn't help but snort. "Yeah, that was quite a sight. Fine then, I'll prepare a room for him at the hospital."

"Make it nice!"

She rolled her eyes and went ahead.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I needed this moment more than anything. I looked up at the gate to Konoha and I remembered the countless times my imagination ran rampant over the years. Many, many times I found myself in this very place, my finale. I would stand like I stood now, with Sasuke's body in my arms, knowing that in a moment I would fulfill my promise - I would bring him back home, though only to get him his final resting place.

This moment, I realized, right now, was just like those.

I was alone, there was no sound around me, and I looked down at him. He was pale as ever, his clothes torn, covered in blood. His lips slightly parted, head hanging back.

I shuddered.

Was he really alive?

Or was this just my denial that made me imagine my friend come to us and save him?

Did he die off the injuries he sustained in that fight? Maybe I just woke up, found him there and picked him up and through my grief I dreamed up a whole different scenario.

And now I was waking up.

My stomach twisted and I fell to my knees in panic, sitting Sasuke on the ground and bringing his face to mine.

He was breathing. He was still breathing. I didn't imagine it.

I exhaled in relief and suddenly I found myself sobbing uncontrollably, holding my unconscious friend close to my chest. I wanted to feel his every breath, every beat of his heart.

He would awaken.

The nightmares weren't true.

I sat there for a while, trying to calm down my sobs. Why was I crying now? It was going to be fine. Fine, fine, fine. So why was I crying? I asked myself and grinned through my tears. I was so stupid. Sasuke was right, I really was a moron.

"I love you," I whispered to him and slowly managed to compose myself. I picked him up again and carried him through the gate.

My promise was finally truly complete.

I brought Sasuke back to Konoha.

And this time, there were no shadows of the past haunting us.

All the shadows were dead.

-:-

When I came into the hospital Baa-chan was already waiting for me.

"This way," she said and led me to a room at the end of the hallway.

It was the part of the hospital where the shinobis were being treated after coming back from their missions. The one for heroes of Konoha.

"Put him on the bed, I need to set him up."

I nodded and did so.

"Naruto, let go of him for one second!" she huffed, "I need access. He won't die if you move a few steps back."

"Oi! I'm not taking any chances!" I laughed but let go of his cold hand and took my place in the doorway.

She sticked some things onto his forehead and temples and turned on a monitor that started beeping quietly. Then she attached him to an IV and turned to me.

"Look, I don't know how long it will take for him to wake up. I wish I could tell you, but I have no idea. It might be days, weeks, months... or even years."

I nodded. "He could've been dead. I thought he would die. This is... better," I said and swallowed the metaphorical lump in my throat. Then I grinned again. "But he will wake up soon, I know that, he's not that patient, dattebayo!"

Baa-chan smiled at me and ruffled my hair. "Come, Kyu is waiting for you at Ino's."

"She took care of her all this time?"

"Well... not the entire time," she said amused, "Sakura made quite a competition. Speaking of being a god mother and stuff?"

I rubbed the back of my head - damn, old habits die hard! "Eh, yeah, I might've kinda maybe made her that already?"

She shook her head. "You'll have some explaining to do when he wakes up."

"Eh... I have a plan."

"So, come take your baby back. I'm sure she misses you."

"I uh..."

"Fine, fine!" Tsunade threw her hands in the air, "I'll bring her here."

"Thanks, Baa-chan!"

She rolled her eyes at me again and left the room.

I pulled a chair close to the bed, sat down, and leaned on the pillow. "You really better wake up soon, bastard," I told him, "I can't spend few years watching you sleep. You're not a beautiful princess."

Truth to be told, I couldn't imagine not waiting for him to wake up. Even if it took years. I felt good and I knew why - for once in my life I was waiting for something I wanted so much and I knew that I would actually get that in the end.

A guarantee.

The nurse would probably be here quite soon to clean him up and get rid of the bloodied rags he had underneath his Akatsuki cloak (that thing was gone when I saw him, Baa-chan probably burnt it on sight), but I wanted him to be clean for when Kyu arrived. Hospital clothes were hanging on a rack already, the room came with a small bathroom so I quickly got to business.

When I took off his shirt I noticed something odd on the left side of his chest. There was some kind of seal there. I frowned, it wasn't there last time I saw him, Madara must've done something to him. Maybe that was what caused his coma? I'd have to ask Baa-chan about it when she came back.

I started to wipe all the blood and dirt off him and soon I fell in some kind of mind-numbing trance. I realized how terribly tired I was. All the emotions started to fall off and all I wanted was to sleep, but I had to keep awake for a while longer. I really wanted to see Kyuu-chan again. I missed her, we really bonded over the month I had her under my care.

When Tsunade carried her into the room in a pink basket I just had to palm my face.

Two weeks was all it took to transform her from a normal-looking baby to something more reminiscent of a cotton candy. She was dressed in a pink-azure dress with, I swear, a thousand flounces, on her head she had a blue ribbon with a plastic butterfly.

I picked her up, "Kami, what have those hags done to you?" I asked, grinning.

She grabbed my nose and smiled at me.

"See? Told you she missed you," Tsunade said. She also looked tired, it was a long way and she has been to the place and back.

"How did you even find us there?" I asked. "Or rather, how did you know when to go? I've been gone for over two weeks."

"A message from Sasuke's brother," she said. "He made sure we would get there soon enough."

"He planned it all, didn't he," I said, I stopped smiling. "Every detail."

She nodded. I repeated my story to her as we were coming back to Konoha.

"I'm sorry we can't bury him on Konoha's grounds, Naruto. I understand how much you owe him, but his past can't just be erased, no matter the controversy. The law doesn't go backwards. I've broken it for Sasuke, but it was about his life and death..."

"I understand, Baa-chan. It wouldn't matter to him where he lied, as long as Sasuke lived. Speaking of, can you tell me what this is?" I called her towards Sasuke and showed her the seal.

She shook her head. "I've seen it when I was checking his wounds. I thought he had it before, is this something new?"

I nodded. "It wasn't there when he left."

"I have no idea what it is. There is something about it that looks vaguely familiar, but it's just a notion, I don't know."

"I know, right?" I traced the pattern gently. "It's like I've seen something somewhat similar before, but I can't quite place it. Do you think it might be what put him in that coma?"

"No," she shook her head, "I don't think so. And if it did, then it surely doesn't keep him in it."

"Okay. Maybe he'll explain this mystery when he wakes up then."

She snorted. "Good joke. I'll be here tomorrow to study it. Now I'm going to sleep. And so should you, you look like a ghost," she said then turned around and left, giggling a little at her own joke.

Well, I gave her that.

"Hey Kyuu, look who's back," I said to my girl, "your daddy's back."

I put her on the bed beside Sasuke and she tried to keep sitting up but still needed a little help. I made sure she wouldn't fall down, and when she was bored with grabbing and tasting things around I picked her up and went to find some cradle for her. It wasn't hard in a hospital and nobody said a word when I took it back to Sasuke's room.

Things changed so much around here, I realized. I was recognized and respected, the nurse smiled at me as I passed her. When I greeted one of the kunoichis resting in the other room, she actually talked to me for a moment.

I was no longer just the Kyuubi's vessel for the people of Konoha. For most of them I was just Uzumaki Naruto.

And really, even though it'd been like this for a while now, each time I caught myself noticing it I was just as amazed. And just as happy.

-:-

I was awoken in the middle of the night by Kyuu's crying. I used to say she could wake up a dead man when she was hungry, but one glance at Sasuke's peaceful expression made that claim void. Lucky bastard.

I got up from my chair - I didn't even know when I fell asleep but damn, it felt like my neck was stuck in some lopsided position. I fed Kyuu and I looked at the stool in disdain. I could not go back to sleep on that thing.

And, come to think about it, there was quite some room left on the bed where Sasuke rested. Surely I could fit. After all, he was not injured, just asleep, right?

I climbed up on the bed. Well, the amount of space wasn't ideal, but it sure beat the chair.

And there were other perks. I put my arm around Sasuke and snuggled up to him.

It was just as if he was simply asleep. And soon I was too.

_...two months later..._

I put a bouquet of flowers on Itachi's grave. "These are from Sasuke," I said sitting down. It was a beautiful evening, it was hot but the air was fresh.

Kakashi chose a beautiful site to bury him, it was not more than a ten minute walk from the Konoha's main gate, the forest was just beginning and when I was really quiet I could hear a stream nearby.

I brought Kyuu with me, she wasn't old enough to understand anything that happened, but I still liked to tell her about her family. One day she would hear me and remember my words. I wanted to make sure that no gossip would ever mar Itachi's memory in the eyes of his niece.

I leaned on the tree and just enjoyed the peace and scenery for a while. Kyuu was starting to crawl so I let her out on the grass. For now she was moving fast enough to maybe catch a turtle so I didn't need to worry about her wandering away. Sakura was getting furious at me every time I let Kyuu out like this, but hey! I checked the ground, there was nothing at all she could try to eat and choke on. And if there came an unlucky beatle and she ate it, well bon apetit. I wasn't going to keep her away from the grass just because some silly book said so.

A while later I heard someone approaching, I turned around and saw none other than Gaara, who was staying in Konoha for the past week. Some political business or another, he said, but I knew he just wanted to see me again. So obvious!

I smiled at him and waved him over.

"Hi!" I greeted him and he smiled sitting down on the ground as well.

"Kakashi told me I could find you here."

"It's a nice spot."

"It is."

Gaara never got really talkative, but I knew that he appreciated the time he spent in Konoha. Even though things got a lot better for him, he was still quite socially awkward and for company, he preferred the friends he already knew well enough.

And besides, how much time can one spend surrounded by sand, sand and more sand? Even he must be tired of it sometimes.

"Still no sign of Kyuubi?" he asked.

I shook my head no.

"Do you think he died back there?"

"Died?" I rose my eyebrows at him, "no way. Kyuubi would never sacrifice himself for our 'puny, mortal business'. I think he got free and escaped."

"Was that even possible? He had no physical form, he had to tie you both together to survive in the first place, didn't he?"

"Yeah, well, that was a long time ago. Look," I grabbed my hair and pulled at it, "it's growing. I think that when Madara severed the bond I had with Sasuke, this body became... more human. More stable or something, because it's changing now."

"Wasn't it changing already when Orochimaru put the seals on you? To stabilize it?"

I shrugged. "I don't think so. I mean, it was, in a way. It could scar and the scars wouldn't disappear and I'm pretty sure if I shaved my head I'd remain bald, but I don't think it was growing, getting older, like a regular one."

"So you could be young forever?" he asked smiling.

"Yeah. That'd be creepy as hell! With all of you grandpas running around with your canes while I frolicked still gorgeous as ever," I laughed.

"Awkward, for sure."

"Also I do want to grow older. I mean, not too old yet, but be more... manly. You know, sharper features and all. After all, once I'm finally a Hokage, I should look the part!"

Gaara shook his head amused. "You're still at that? I thought you didn't have those dreams anymore."

"I always did, it's just that for a time I had some more important ones to focus on."

"So, let's give it a test run. Tell me what you think about the issue of-"

"Ey!" I interrupted him, "until I get my office, a hat and a best damn party in Konoha, I'm not hearing of any politics! All pain no gain? Thank you, but I'll pass!"

We sat there chatting about everything and nothing in particular until it got dark and chilly. It was time to go back.

**Sasuke's PoV**

Time was such a relative thing. When I caught myself in my own genjutsu I spent weeks amongst the snow and the specters of my past. I thought, long and hard, about everything.

The first question I asked myself when I got over the initial shock was: why. Why did I condemn myself to this freezing hell where I chose to torment myself with my memories and hurt over and over again.

I thought about cowardice, a punishment, a longing to see them again even as projected wraiths that just spoke my own mind. It was probably a bit of every one of those.

At first I tried to tell myself that if I had stayed conscious and aware in the reality, the only thing that awaited me there was a slow death of thirst or starvation.

Then I stopped being a sissy and told myself the truth: if I was stronger I would get my shit together and fought for that life I had. Found someone on the way or found a way to send a signal. It wasn't impossible, even in my condition.

But the thing was, I realized that I really didn't want to do so. My daughter would be fine in Konoha, there were people there who would take care of her better than I ever could. And she was my only responsibility left. I honestly didn't have it in me to go back to that world, to face them, talk to them about what happened here.

About my loss.

About what was next.

So I concluded, finally, that I was weak. I gave up, I simply gave up.

So then I asked myself the last question I had in that place: why didn't I just kill myself? I tried before, I knew I could do it. The answer to that one was actually quite obvious. Itachi sacrificed himself so that I could live. I would never disrespect his memory in that way.

So I chose something in-between, my freezing limbo. And when it started to crumble, disappear, I thought that it was it - my body was giving up. I was dying.

Then there was that soft darkness. It lasted days or seconds, I wasn't sure. I didn't really think anything, I just was. There were distant sounds, there was warmth, then chill. There was some longing inside me, but it all was intangible.

Up until the moment when the darkness shattered and my brain was assaulted by an incredibly jarring sound.

Beeping.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Mercy.

What was this hellish sound?

Oh. So I did die in the end and this was hell. Beeping. My hell was beeping.

I took a deep breath and tried to move, but my body wouldn't budge. It felt as if I hadn't moved for ages.

I opened my eyes and I saw the walls and ceiling above me. I recognized the colors and suddenly everything made a little more sense. The sounds, the smells.

I wasn't dead and it wasn't hell. Not yet anyway. It seemed I was in the Konoha hospital.

What the hell? I couldn't resist the mind-pun.

How did I get here?

Then it hit me. In theory, I was possible that my control over the genjutsu simply slipped and now I wasn't in control of it at all anymore, it was all a creation of my subconscious.

As I tried to move again I realized that I still couldn't feel my legs. In the snow I was in control of my full body, but I was aware that I've been handicapped in reality. Now the disability was back, but I got strength in my arms back and I brought them over my face.

Oh, it felt so real to touch my skin. I rubbed my eyes and sighed in relief that movement brought me.

Then I realized that I wasn't alone. There was someone else in the room, right beside me. I forced my neck to turn and I saw...

Naruto.

Just lying there, beside me, curled up, one of his legs sprawled across mine. He was breathing steadily, deep asleep. Behind him I saw a crib and inside it Kyuubi, also asleep.

And there was the beeping, the only sound reaching my ears.

He was dead, so I had to be right, this was just an illusion, but how real, how damn real it felt. And that tingle of uncertainty, that I wasn't in control of it... it made it so...

I reached towards Naruto's face and hesitated for a moment. What if my touch broke the illusion?

So I just gazed at him for a moment, frozen, unmoving. His hair was longer than I remembered, golden strands were falling on his eyes and mouth, moving a little with his every breath. Those stupid whisker marks still prominent on his cheek. Four thin, long scars on the side of his neck that Orochimaru left.

I didn't even notice when my hand rested on his cheek, shaking. The illusion didn't break. How long would it last? How far would it let me go?

Could I hear his voice? Hear his voice saying things that I didn't put in his mouth?

"Naruto..." I whispered.

Nothing.

"Naruto."

Nothing.

"Naruto, wake up!" I shook him by the shoulder.

"Mmh..." he moaned, "leave me be, bastard, I wanna sleep..."

My heart beat faster.

"Wake up!" I shook him harder.

Suddenly his eyes shot open. "Sasuke?!"

**Naruto's PoV**

The moment it reached me what happened all the sleep was gone like a fingersnap. I shot right up on the bed.

I was face to face with Sasuke. Awake. Gaping at me with eyes big as plates.

"Sasuke!" I cried out and pulled him up in a hug of a lifetime.

Few moments later I felt his hands come around me and I knew at that moment that he remembered.

"Damn you for making me wait this long!" I couldn't decide between holding him with all my power and slapping him for all those days and nights I spent literally just waiting till he awoke. In the end I chose to slap him on the back.

"Waiting..?" he asked confused and I let go of him just enough to see his face.

**Sasuke's PoV**

"You were in a coma," he told me, "for two months, Sasuke."

"Coma?"

"Yes."

"I'm awake?"

"Yes, you're awake! What did you think?!" he was grinning like mad.

"I thought I was still in the genjutsu. I might-"

"You're not in your stupid, dumb, idiotic genjutsu! It was what put you in this damned coma in the first place! You were out of that thing two months ago, when Kakashi found us in the place of the fight."

Everything he was saying... could it be true?

"Snap out of it, bastard, I'm as real as they get," he said and pinched me. Hard.

I hissed.

"See?" he asked. "Still here. When Kyuubi left me I was knocked out. Very much. Like, I almost didn't breathe and all. They told me you found me, you thought I was dead right there, didn't you?"

I just nodded. I felt I couldn't squeeze a word out if I wanted to. I would probably just fall back on the bed too if he wasn't holding me up.

"Here," he said, "let me get rid of this, you look like a dying man," he took my hand and carefully removed the IV. Then narrowed his eyes looking at something on my forehead.

"What is it?"

"I wonder if taking those sticky things off your head won't alert the nurses that you're dead or something. I'm not ready to share you yet."

He seemed so happy. His eyes were shining with glee, he straddled me and was tracking the wires, tugging on them lightly and checking something.

"Naruto," I said to get back his attention.

"Yeah, yeah, wait a moment, I'll see about these... I can't wait to bring you back home," he said.

"Naruto, wait."

"What is it?" he looked at me and frowned.

"There's... something..."

He shifted uneasily. "Sasuke... did something change?" he asked. "Between us, I mean. I thought that... it didn't."

I couldn't walk. I would be disabled for the rest of my life. To say that nothing changed would be to pretty much have him take care of me for the rest of our lives. It just wouldn't be fair to him.

"Yes," I said. "It can't be like it was."

"What do you mean?" he asked quietly, and I saw he was just about to cry.

"Naruto, I can't walk," I said.

"What?"

"My legs are paralyzed. I can't walk. I don't think I'll ever be able to walk again."

"I'm sorry," he said, he sounded confused, "I am, but, you said something changed between us. What happened? I need to know, Sasuke, don't drag this out."

"Don't you see what this means? Everything you've been waiting for, the normal life, it's not going to happen."

"You know what?" he said, "I'm going to ask you one question, okay? And you're gonna answer it in a split second. No thinking, no pondering, no buts. You owe me this for shaving your sleepy face for the past two months. Alright?"

I nodded. What could I do?

"Do you want to be with me?"

He asked.

"Yes."

Split second.

"Do you love me?"

"That's another question, Dobe."

"Do you love me?"

"Yes."

"What changed between us?"

"I can't walk."

"Don't you see, you bastard?" he hit my chest. "There's no connection between my question and your stupid ass answer!"

"Naruto..."

**Naruto's PoV**

"Don't Naruto me! You think you use my name and it's suddenly gonna make me listen to all your bullcrap," I huffed. "As far as I'm concerned you might not have any stupid legs at all. Or hands. Or face. Well, face might be needed, at least some of it. And brain, memory included. But that is all, you hear me? I just want you to be."

He looked at me for a moment blankly and then suddenly pulled himself closer to me and laid his head on my shoulder. I felt something wet against my skin and I realized he was crying. Without a sob or a sound, but he was crying.

"Can I take you home?" I asked. "Our home?"

He shrugged, I put my hand on his neck and held him.

"So about your legs... what happened, Sasuke?"

"Doesn't matter now, Dobe," he said and I nodded. He would tell me when he'll feel right.

"I'll get you a wheelchair later," I said. "And who knows, maybe you just need some rehabilitation? You won't know until someone actually checks it. But even if nothing works, driving you to Ichiraku's will sure beat going there without you. There and any other place."

"Stop this, idiot, you're getting all mushy."

"Hey, I'm not the crybaby here!"

He growled and moved just to glare at me. But I? I couldn't help but just laugh. And a moment later he laughed as well.

**Sasuke's PoV**

I couldn't believe this. I grabbed his face in my hands and just tried to wrap my head around it. It was two months for him, for me it felt like it was even longer. I have already mourned him and this time there was no question about it - I cared. My heart was breaking.

And now I was looking at him, alive as ever, in front of me. I knew the bond between us was broken by Madara, in a way it made him more human and alive than ever, because he could now die like any of us.

I wondered what it meant for him in relation to his chakra-need problems, but there would be time to talk about it later. That and anything else.

In the end, it seemed that Itachi's plan worked. He prevented me from killing myself, he made sure Naruto wouldn't die. He probably even made sure that we were found.

I would never regret trying that jutsu. If it cost me my ability to walk, so be it. He deserved that and anything else I could try and do for him.

Suddenly Naruto narrowed his eyes at me. "You know what, bastard? You really suck at the promise business."

"What?" I asked.

"You gave me the promise -of a lifetime- might I add, that you would come back and yet I had to literally bring you here. Which, by the way, is mastery of promise-keeping!"

"Tch. Dobe. I said I'd come to you if I had to crawl. And guess what, I actually had to fucking crawl to get to you. Whoever got me in shape after probably had to dig grass and dirt out of my teeth!"

"You crawled by your teeth? You could've used hands, you know. And you call me an idiot!" the dope laughed.

"Figure of speech."

"Oi, that was no figure of speech! Hey look, it's dawning," he pointed towards the window. "I think that's a sign we should go. Oh, I have so much to tell you!"

I rolled my eyes. Gossip. Tons of gossip.

"Hah! And you'll have to listen to me," he laughed. "You can't run and you can't hide! Ekhem. Too soon?"

"Ya think?"

He squeezed me and gave me a quick kiss then laid me back on the bed and jumped off. "Be right back!"

"Hn."

I grabbed the annoying little wires stuck to my forehead and ripped them off.

The monitor took it as a signal to unleash all hell.

Beep.

Beep. Beep. Beep!

BEEEEEEEP, fucker.

**Naruto's PoV**

I was pushing the wheelchair forward, first stop I insisted was Kakashi's apartment. He just had to know that Sasuke was back. He was sulking at me already, because I wouldn't let him operate the chair himself. Sure, he had his pride, but I also had my needs, and right now I needed to take care of him. So he sat there leaning on his hand and making a point. I on the other hand was almost skidding down the street.

I saw he was fidgeting with that amulet of his. I was pretty sure he got it from Itachi.

"He's buried right outside Konoha," I told him. "I can take you there whenever you wish. Kakashi picked a beautiful site for him, I've been there every other day."

"Thank you," he said. "This amulet he gave me..."

"It's odd," I said. "I tried to take it off when I was cleaning you after I brought you back, but I couldn't find a clasp."

"There isn't one," he said. "But I should've lost it when he died. And yet it's still here."

"That's good, isn't it though?"

"Yes. I guess he was just wrong. I will want to go there later," he said and seemed to ponder on something, before asking. "Can I get there like this? Alone?"

"I don't know. You can try and if not, I'll just help you."

He winced.

I stopped the chair and bent over to look at him upside-down. "Rehabilitation, bastard. We'll check with Baa-chan later, okay? Don't be such a drama queen already."

"Hn."

-:-

Kakashi was with us during the check-up, he stood beside me as we watched in worry as Baa-chan was doing some mumbo-jumbo of hers over Sasuke's legs.

When she was done she looked up and Sasuke was first to ask. "And?"

"I'm sorry," she said. "There is nothing that can be done."

"So... never?"

"I'm afraid so."

"How about crutches?" Kakashi asked.

"Not if I can't control either of my legs," Sasuke said.

"No, I mean, sometimes they use them, with a help of chakra. I've seen something like that."

"Where?" Tsunade crossed her arms. "In Icha Icha?"

"Yes- I mean, no! What, how did you know?" he rose his arms defensively. "It's still based on facts!"

"Facts my ass, I'll burn all of that crap one day." She then turned to Sasuke. "Well, that part is actually based on truth. With a help of chakra you might be able to stand up with crutches. Maybe even make a few steps, but that's it. I'm really very sorry."

I was afraid those would be the news, but Sasuke just nodded and let Tsunade help him onto the chair. He didn't seem depressed or mad or anything like that. If it happened to me, I think I wouldn't be so calm.

-:-

Afterwards we went to visit Itachi's grave and Sasuke didn't say a word the entire time. I had to help him get through a few hurdles on the way, but they were easily removable and I would go there another day and clean the way up for him. Just a little digging.

On a way home through the streets of Konoha I just walked beside him as he worked around learning to use the chair himself. In a way it broke my heart to see him like this. Every time I saw a disabled shinobi I couldn't shake off an impression that they were like birds with clipped wings.

"Sasuke," I approached him a while after we got home, he was rummaging the closet for some warmer clothes than the change I had waiting for him in the hospital before. "Can you tell me what happened? Why are you so calm about this?" I motioned to his legs.

He looked at me and threw the sweater to the bed. I sat down.

"Madara made him sick," he said, "and then gave me a month in his library to find a cure. I knew I wouldn't, he told me so and I knew he wasn't lying. Maybe if I had years. But I didn't. So instead of looking for a cure I looked for a failsafe. I didn't believe Madara would let Itachi live and I was pretty much at his mercy, I could do nothing to mess up his plans. So I did the only thing that came to my mind. I planned for Itachi's death, to somehow help him escape it."

I nodded, listening. I didn't know this, because neither did Itachi.

"I used what I had left of Orochimaru's memories and then tried to mend it all into a sensible technique using Madara's books on Jinchuuriki, sealing, unsealing, you know the story. I thought that..." he laughed, but it was a sullen laugh, "I thought that I was onto something. It was easier because he was my brother, the bonds of blood and everything, it should've been easier. And so I decided to try it. I prepared him, the best I could, and then... he even managed to make me remember before it was too late. I had to remember to finish the technique, use it as he was dying."

He took the amulet in his hand and brought it to his lips. It was difficult for him to talk about this, I could see his struggle.

"But I did something wrong," Sasuke shrugged. "I was in a hurry, I was in pain, or maybe it was wrong from the beginning. Anyway, it ended up hurting me and... well, this, state. That I'm in. I'm calm about this, because I don't regret it. If I knew it would fail I would try it anyway, for the sake of hoping."

I got up and walked over to him. "Sasuke..."

"Yes?"

I untied his shirt, he was watching me, a little confused.

"There is a seal on your chest," I said and pointed to it. "Does it have anything to do with that technique of yours?"

He frowned. "I don't know. It if worked, I would've known, but this... I don't remember this," he traced the pattern.

"What if it did work? Somehow? How would you know?"

"I don't know," he said, still tracing the patterns. "You're the Kyuubi kid here, you tell me."

"That's kind of a loaded question, you know."

"Is it possible that it worked and I don't know about it?"

"If it's anything like what I've been through, yeah, but how about the rest of it?"

"Can you help me try and get to know if it worked?" he asked and there was such hope in his voice. I didn't wonder.

"Sure, but it can take a while. I don't really know how would we start. I do have some ideas though, when I think about it."

"Stop," he said, taking my hand. "Not today, Dobe. I'm exhausted, you're tired, it's not running, is it?"

"No. If that seal does what it's supposed, nothing and nobody's running anywhere."

**Sasuke's PoV**

It's been over a week since my awakening and Naruto finally couldn't hold in a question that seemed to nibble at him for quite some time. When he finally asked me I couldn't help but laugh.

He was lying beside me, still a bit flushed after 'checking out'.

'Sasuke,' he asked me earlier, already blushing like mad, I knew exactly what was coming, 'you know, you have lost feeling in your legs, but... erm... how about... adjacent... um... rest?'

I grinned to myself remembering how I just waited patiently for him to finish, not cutting his torments short by even a second. On one hand I could expect him to already get over this shyness, on the other, we haven't really slept together a lot. Not on both our accords, anyway. This was the first time when there were no questions to ask, when everything was clear.

I knew from the moment I was crawling through the grass that I haven't lost my feeling everywhere. Painfully knew that. But it was just far too fun to watch him try to find out by checking my reactions.

He traced the seal on my chest absentmindedly. The pattern seemed to really encourage him to play with it.

"Dobe."

"Yeah?" he rose his eyes at me, smiling.

"Why won't you look at me when we're having sex?"

"What?"

"You heard me. What's wrong?" I asked simply.

Some emotion flashed through his face that I couldn't quite catch.

"It's..."

I waited for him to continue, but he didn't. Instead he pretended to be falling asleep.

"Talk to me," I said. "We're a little past hiding stuff like this, don't you think?"

"It's stupid," he said.

"I figured that much, it's coming from you after all," I said.

**Naruto's PoV**

I snorted at his insult and jabbed him on the side. This, in turn, was something difficult for me to say, but he was right. I had to get it out. It was him, after all, it's not like it was a secret.

"It's about Oto," I said and his expression changed. "There you go, bastard, now you're uncomfortable too," I kid, I couldn't just talk all serious about it.

"Yeah..."

"You know what he did to me, and I know that you know and it's making me... ashamed still," I pretty much blurted out. "I love it when I'm with you, I do, but at the same time I feel like it makes you remember all of that... and... I just, you know, it doesn't feel great."

He pulled me closer to him, I could feel his hot breath on my face. "Naruto, don't ever, ever think," he whispered, looking me right in the eye, "that I think less of you because of that. In any way. In this reality you didn't get a note saying that, but that thing was true to the last letter."

It was weird to hear him speak to me like this. So serious, and so caring.

"I don't know how in the world did you get through that horror and remained who you are today, but that's a sign of some bloody strength, if you ask me. And nothing else. Ever. So if I ever remember what happened to you there, it's only making me remember that you're nothing short of amazing. Get this through your thick skull, because I'm not saying it again," he said and moved away the strands of hair that were falling on my face.

"Should I cut them off?" I asked.

"No. Leave them be."

"I love you, Sasuke," I told him for the first time since he was back. Well, the first time he could hear me.

"I know," he replied.

"Oi! That's not what you say!"

"I know," he smirked and closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

-:-

"I'm telling you, he's up to something!" I exclaimed at Sasuke, because he was apparently too occupied by preparing his lunch to listen to me.

"So what?" he asked, finally rising his eyes at me lazily. "Let him be."

"What do you mean, so what?!" I took away his rice bowl and he was forced to give me his attention. "Kakashi is up to something, I know that he's up to something, so we have to know what he's up to, dattebayo!"

"No, Dobe, *you* need to know what he's up to. I need to eat my lunch, so give me back the rice."

"You're hopeless!" I took a pinch of the rice and threw it at him. "I need a girlfriend."

"I don't think there's a girl in Konoha to match your hunger for gossip."

"Oh ye? I bet Ino will be right with me on this!"

"Good."

"Bastard," I said pushing him the bowl.

"What?"

"Be jealous?" I crossed my arms on my chest.

"Of you sharing gossip with Ino?"

"Yes."

He snorted. "You've taught me to share, Dobe. So now go and be shared."

"You'll be hearing about what I find out! Even if he's just planning a supper with Jirayia. I'll spy on them and I'll tell you about every little thing they eat. Even the tablecloth pattern."

"So vicious," he shook his head and poured some gods awful sauce into the rice.

"Oh, you will find out just how vicious!"

I passed by and smacked him on the head for a good measure before leaving.

**Sasuke's PoV**

It seemed like I was in for a quiet afternoon, drinking tea on the porch, reading a book. Kyuubi was five months old now and already crawling - I had to say I was pretty damn proud of her. I heard most kids started to crawl at 7 months or even older.

But it was my daughter after all. She still had that habit of chewing on people's hair though and there seemed to be nothing to get her to stop. Sakura even tried putting some lemon juice onto hers, but no luck. If anything, she got chewed on even more thoroughly.

Guess every genius has its bounds.

I turned the page to what was beginning to become a really thrilling mystery novel when I heard Dobe's cries from the gate to the compound.

"Sasuke! Sasuke, you won't believe this!" he cried and ran to me, panting and gasping for breath.

I guess this wouldn't be about a supper with Jirayia after all.

"What is it?" I asked, moderately curious.

"...Kakashi's getting married!"

"What?"

Okay, I was curious.

"...to Sakura-chan!"

"What? Finally made a move?"

"What do you mean finally?" the Dobe looked at me confused. "You knew there was something there?"

"And you didn't? For gods' sake, you were a damned ghost for a while, I thought with your craving for gossip you'd be the first to sniff that up."

"Excuse me for respecting their privacy!"

"So how did you found about the wedding?"

"Um... Fine, fine! I get it, I suck. Now, the news!" he looked like he was ready to jump out of his skin, "it was so romantic, and a little weird. He prepared everything so beautifully for her and she was none the wiser. There were flowers and everything you would so not expect out of him," Naruto laughed. "And then he popped the question, she was so shocked, and he just told her how he felt and asked her if she felt something too. Because if she did, he said, waiting was just stupid. 'We've known each other for years, Sakura,' he told her, 'if you feel something for me, then just say yes. I don't want to wake up tomorrow and realize it's too late.' And she just looked at him agape, he said then, 'If you don't, tell me as well, and I'll leave you be. Our way of life is too unpredictable to wait much longer. I don't want to wait much longer. I need to know,' he said."

"And she said yes?" I asked.

"Yes! She stood for a moment as if someone turned her to stone, but then she said yes! It was actually 'yes, Kakashi-sensei' to which he laughed and told her to leave the kinky role-play for later, which in turned earned him a massive slap, followed by a massive hug and then a massive kiss. Sasuke?"

"Yeah?"

"You're grinning like an idiot."

**Naruto's PoV**

I was still hyped about the news of the wedding, but I tried to calm down by playing with Kyuu. I told Sasuke, but I knew I had to somehow keep my mouth shut until they were ready to tell anyone else about it. It would be quite a fit, but I liked a good challenge.

"Dobe?" I heard Sasuke call me.

"What?"

He rolled up to me in the chair. "Are you cold?" he asked. "It's such a hot evening."

"Ah, it's nothing. I mean, nothing to do about it."

"A sweater?"

"Hah, no, that won't work."

"What is it?"

"A remainder of my grave that it misses me," I grinned.

"You never shook like this before."

"Well, it's not like this all the time, but I've been getting those ever since Madara broke our bond. I guess it's not really natural for me to be as I am still."

"So you're cold because there's no bond?"

"Cold? No, I'm freezing," I admitted. "I'm cold all the time, I got used to that, but sometimes it gets... real chilly."

"Why didn't you say anything, idiot?" he asked, scowling at me.

"What for?"

"Hm, let's think, maybe I can easily restore that bond?"

"You can?"

"Yes, I can. I know the jutsu he used to sever it. It was a part of the one that was supposed to kill you for immortality."

"The one that would turn me into a confetti dust?" I remembered the future vision in which Sasuke used it on me.

"Yeah, that one."

"So you can just restore this bond? Why didn't you say so before?"

"Why would I? I thought you liked being independent. You know that if I restore it, you will bite the dust the second I do?"

"Like the old times?" I laughed.

"Yeah."

"How about you?"

"What about me?"

"You know I'd be living off your chakra again?"

"So? It's not like I need it for anything. Not until you drive me mad and I decide to Chidori all the squirrels from the park."

A few weeks ago, I'd probably still feel uneasy about this, and feel like I would be an impostor. But now, all I felt was gratitude. Nothing else. It seemed natural that he would agree to this.

"So... what do I do?"

"Nothing, come here," he said and had me sit in his lap.

He made some seals, mumbled some words and just like that, the chill was gone. A moan of relief escaped me.

"Dobe?"

"Whaa... it's so warm..." I said and leaned my head on his. "Thanks."

"Sure."

"Why was this so easy? I remember Madara spent quite some time to break this bond."

"Well, it's always easier to go back to the natural state."

"There's nothing natural about my existence," I laughed.

"Well, all in its own law."

-:-

It took a while, but I managed to find some logic in what Sasuke did to Itachi. We were working on it for over two months, and I've known for a while that his technique didn't completely fail, but he didn't want to hear anything good until I was sure.

Well, I was sure now.

Itachi wasn't dead. But Sasuke would never be able to really see that.

"Tell him happy birthday from me," he said. I nodded and he closed his eyes.

I used the jutsu we came up with on him and when his eyes opened it would be either a success or a fiasco. The confused gaze that greeted me told me did it right.

"What happened? Where am I?" he asked.

I was still sitting across Sasuke, but he wasn't there. I felt an unpleasant shiver run through me as I remembered that foreign look of his eyes from when he was controlled by Orochimaru, but I quickly shook it off. This was nothing like that.

Well, a little like that, but Sasuke would be back with me soon enough.

I smiled a little awkwardly.

"Well, funny story! And quite a long one..."

-:-

We stood in the middle of the main Konoha street. Itachi had no trouble using chakra to help him use the crutches, so he left the chair few steps back and joined me. I expected him to want to go to his room, or Tsunade's office, or actually anywhere specific, but he just wanted to see the street.

"Sasuke said to wish you happy birthday," I said. "So, happy birthday."

"Thank him, Naruto, this... is beyond anything I could ever expect to get..."

He was looking somewhere into the distance, I tried to follow his gaze, but there was nothing there.

"What are you looking at?" I asked.

"Home, Naruto. Home."

**Sasuke's PoV**

It was the day of Kakashi and Sakura's wedding. Or the night of the wedding. Or something else of the wedding, I didn't really care. The actual wedding part was over and the celebrations well underway.

Obviously.

Cause I was well under a table.

Apparently Naruto was thinking about just the same thing.

"Why are we under a table again?" my idiot asked me.

"Cause Gai and Lee are drunk," I said. I remembered that was the reason, but I couldn't quite place the reason why it was the reason.

"OH, right," Naruto giggled and rolled on top of me, trying to kiss me, but I think he saw more of me than one and ended nibbling on my ear instead.

A distant cry about youth and celebrating life almost ringed some bell in my mind, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. The smell of Tsunasake was everywhere and I reached for a bottle I smuggled down to our little enclave myself.

"Sasuke?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are we under a table again?"

I took a good swig from the bottle and switched to be on top of the Dobe. "Ask once more and I'm gonna strangle you."

"No, you won't. You love me too much."

"Don't tempt me."

He kissed me, this time hitting the spot. "Sasuke-teme?"

"Yeah?"

"So why are we under a table again?"


	54. Breathing's Overrated

**A/N:** And the epilogue arrives :)

* * *

**- Chapter Fifty Four -**

_- Breathing's Overrated -_

...6 years later...

**Naruto's PoV**

I was squatting behind the table in our living room, every few moments eyeing the room suspiciously, my ears perked to hear the slightest noise. I was home alone, Kyuu was away somewhere - we could never know where they took her for obvious reasons, but while at first I was seriously biting walls each time Sasuke took her to them, now I made peace with it. She was always back on time and my thorough interrogations revealed nothing I could worry about.

I looked back at the piece of paper in my hands scribbled all over with that beautiful, meticulous handwriting. I skimmed over it, it was another debate on some improbable jutsu technique or another. I growled. I didn't have much time, Sasuke would be home soon and I was *sure* there was something interesting in that pile. But if he caught me snooping I would be a dead man. Deader than dead. Deadest man in Konoha.

I put the letter aside and picked up another one.

I knew I was doing something I really shouldn't be doing, but that was the part of what made it so damn thrilling. Well, it was *that* bad. I mean, I could've ran off with an evil snake nin, become a missing nin and a violent criminal, so I think snooping through his private correspondence with Itachi was quite low on the scale of bad things to do.

It was a way they found to talk to each other and have been at it for years. At first I didn't read those letters, but after a while I gave into the temptation.

There were various kinds.

Some of them were just what I put aside - debates on jutsus, techniques, politics even occasional philosophy. Sometimes I felt like adding my own notes on the margins, but I had to bit my tongue. Or finger, if you will.

Some of them were some really weird shit. I admit I read each and one of those biting my nails, sometimes I didn't even get what I was reading, but it was a fascinating insight into Sasuke's mind. I don't think he would ever share those with me, even if I asked him. All in all, I knew he still saw innocence in me that he wouldn't expose to things like those. What happened to him when he was away from Konoha, what he's done, what he thought, how it made him feel. Then and now. I watched it in fascination from behind a glass wall and that's where I felt comfortable. It helped me understand his nightmares though, and when he was tossing and turning I would snuggle up to him and imagine that my proximity would reach him in the dream and soothe his mind.

Some of them were just like a talk one would share with their brother at breakfast. Contrary to what Sasuke tried to make me believe, he did enjoy an occasional gossip or two. I liked those letters a lot, but every time I felt a pinch in my heart because there was longing in them. They wanted to look at each other, sit side by side, hear their voices, laughter. Sasuke was happy with what he got - it was more than he believed was possible - but it would never be truly enough. Not after the way their relationship was.

And then some of those letters were what made me dig through the pile in the first place. They were the letters about -me-. I tried to ask several times how did it work, did they share what the other saw, or were they confined in some space when they weren't controlling the body. And Sasuke, in his sadistic whim, decided to never tell me, have me wonder. He teased me about it mercilessly at times when I really didn't want Itachi to watch. And then I had to face his brother some other time (one day a week actually and occasional letter writing time), not knowing what he knew, saw and what he didn't.

The problem was, that that was the one thing, they never talked about in the letters. They probably made a deal at the start and just stuck to it. I scowled at the thought.

"Bastard..." I mumbled to myself.

I liked the Naruto-letters still. Like every other curious human being I liked when people talked about me. Especially in a good way. It's not that I didn't know what Sasuke thought about me or how he felt, but he would never say those things. Not to me. But he did to Itachi and they always left me with that big grin. Or a big pout, when the words weren't quite as lovely.

Suddenly there was a noise and I jerked right up. Startled I almost sent the glass table top flying alongside the letters, but I managed to catch it all in time. I quickly made them into a neat pile and darted out of the room and into to the kitchen where I wanted to do my best to look innocent.

"Dobe," I heard his voice as he rolled his chair into the kitchen. I yelped and hit myself on the drawer. "What are you up to, idiot?"

"Me? Nothing!" I said and then I realized I was actually sitting on the counter, my legs crossed like some goddamn lady and holding a jar of pickled onions in my hands.

How in the world had Sasuke not yet realized I was going through his stuff? I was a *terrible* liar, and for heaven's sake, he lived with me for almost six years now, he knew me better than the palm of his hand. Was he really that so naïve that he believed I had some kind of moral complex to stop me? Silly Uchiha.

He rolled over towards the table and reached for an apple.

"Oi! You're smearing mud all over the floor!" I pointed an accusatory finger at the trails his chair left and jumped off the counter, assuming a more manly pose.

"Mud? What mud?" he asked and rolled around the table pretending to look for mud.

"Sasuke-teme!"

"Oh, that mud!" he smirked. "Well."

"Bastard, and now I'll have to clean it!"

"Yes. Clean it before it dries."

"Fuck you," I said throwing him a sharp glare followed by the plate I was holding. Instead of ducking, he decided to catch it and spoil the little bit of satisfaction I could get from it.

He shrugged and got busy eating his apple and playing with the chair, turning it around in circles.

I threw a wipe on the floor and began angrily cleaning the stains and the bastard actually started rolling over the tiles I cleaned.

"Stop this!"

"I need to get to the counter."

"Gods, I hate you. I'm glad you're paralyzed!" I smacked him on the face with the wipe and he growled at me angrily.

Were it any other day, this would most likely end up in a dirty fight.

The grace period for the past over a long time ago.

I remembered how one time Sasuke was *so* pissed at me I thought he was going to bite my head off. He looked at me with that devilish flare in his eyes and said something that made us both double take for a second. 'I wish Orochimaru had you for longer, maybe he would fuck this stupidity out of your head, cause I apparently can't.' For a moment there we just stared at each other. Me, I expected myself to feel hurt, outraged, anything like that. But I realized that I didn't care. Somehow coming from him it didn't hurt me, it pissed me off but it was a kick him in the face anger not turn around and leave one. 'Well that may be cause he was better at it, what with working legs and all!.' I huffed back at him and he blinked. At first I saw terror on his face when he said what he did, but when I bit back he just blinked blankly.

Then we laughed.

And that was the best laughter of my life. That was it. There was nothing more. He said the worst. I didn't care. All the touchiness was gone, we didn't have to tiptoe around each other anymore. Nothing I could say would hurt him, not if I mocked his disability or called him sick for what he did with Itachi. Nothing he could say or do would hurt me, not the hardest insult, not the sharpest bite - I found out what it meant to have angry sex with him when he stopped holding back due to the past, and I can't say I regretted it. Sometimes I'd provoke ridiculous fights just to push his buttons and release that fierce beast.

In a way we reverted back to how we were before everything started. We were fighting, bickering, pissing each other without having to hold back. The difference was we knew each other so much better and had way better ways of getting to each other.

But that was just how it was. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. This was finally the right way.

And were it any other day this spat we were having here would probably end up in a trail of insults and end up in the bedroom, but this time he just huffed at me and I huffed at him.

Neither of us said anything, but we both *knew*. It was just that thing that we shared.

I cleaned up the stains on the floor and left him in the kitchen as he prepared himself something to eat.

I went outside and I knew everything was coming together in a funny way.

I sat on the swing, the sky was getting dark. I looked above the tree crowns into Konoha. Earlier this morning we were out on the fields watching Sakura teach her group of genins that were assigned to her. Kakashi was sitting beside us and having a blast watching her struggle to make it work. Truth to be told, we all did. Ever since they had their twins we were actually spending more time together so that Kyuu could enjoy her playmates. I thought that fatherhood would change my old sensei, but I have never been so wrong.

Well, he did hold his Icha Ichas higher so that the kids couldn't see it and actually learnt which pictures were okay to show them and which most definitely weren't. But that was about it, I smiled. I was living with Sasuke and Kyuu, but those guys were no less of a family to me.

Suddenly I heard some rustling of the trees and I turned that way. It was Sasuke, he was coming from the garden, slowly, on his crutches. It wasn't really possible to move there on his chair. His lips were covered in red raspberry juice, his legs surrounded by shining chakra that let him keep his balance.

"I asked how long have you been looking for me before you gave up," he said approaching me. "But you never did."

I looked at him as he now loomed over me. His hair looked just like they did There. The wind was blowing through the spikes and I felt a shiver run down my spine as it brushed against my skin as well.

"S-Sasuke," I whispered meeting his eyes.

"Why do you stutter, Dobe? Does the memory get to you that much?" he smirked and I shuddered again under his gaze.

I stood up from the swing and stood vis-à-vis him. He grew to be a little bit higher than me.

Just like There.

"Why do we do this?" I asked.

I knew that he would never hurt me... and yet there was just this something in his eyes right now that I couldn't place, that made me tremble in anxiety.

"Because we both know it could still come true."

"Immortality?"

"Immortality, Naruto. You are my way to achieve and eternal life, eternal youth, power, that will never end."

I felt myself shaking, I wasn't sure what I was feeling, fear... or excitement.

"They are all dead, all that could stand in my way. This time, it's only about you," he said quietly. "Come to me," he said.

And I felt my body obey him, the seal he had not used in years forced me to bend to his will.

_But I wouldn't do this, Naruto. I respect you too much for that." _I remembered the words he said to me as we were trapped in my genjutsu all those years ago.

"Take off your shirt and lay on the ground," came the next command.

And I obeyed him. The thing was though, I wanted to obey him, seal or no seal. It was as if he let me catch a glimpse of that darkness that still lurked inside me and I was drawn to it, I wanted to see where it would lead.

He lowered himself onto my lower back, I felt his body's weight on me. His fingers traced a pattern on my back, I was looking down into the ground and when I shivered this time it had nothing to do with the wind and everything with his touch.

"Don't move," he said leaning to whisper into my ear, his other hand traced my naked side. "It's a delicate matter. One wrong line and everything will be in vain."

Suddenly I really wanted to look into his eyes as the memory of the vision overwhelmed me. His touch on my body, his fingers running down my spine. He still knew that jutsu.

He could still do this.

When I wanted to turn around he pushed my head back to the ground.

"You may speak," he said, "but you're not allowed to scream."

I felt something sharp and cold as ice start to draw patterns on my back. It was not his finger. Was it a blade?

Would he…

"I would have given you my life had you asked for it," I whispered.

"I'm almost done, you know that right?" he asked. "Do you have anything you want to say before I form the final seals?"

"Yes," I said.

He leaned down and I felt his hot breath against the nape of my neck.

"Say it."

"I love you," I said and I realized that I was actually crying.

Suddenly I felt his tongue lap at my cheek, licking off the salty tears, his body moved against mine in slow, fluid motions. His hand tightened on my hair, still holding my face down, as his lips travelled down the back of my neck, my shoulders.

I was at his complete mercy, I was shaking underneath him and I knew he was loving it.

He brushed my back and I felt that it was wet, but I felt no pain on my skin, no wounds a blade would leave. But it was a blade I felt against my thigh next as he cut the fabric of my clothes.

When I felt him enter me I gasped and arched my back to meet his body with mine. For a while there was nothing else but the movement of our bodies. The smell of grass as I pressed my face against the grass, the feeling of his hand on my back, the chill against my burning up skin, the gentle tingling of chakra swirling around him. I held onto the grass underneath me and remembered his words that ringed through my ears moments ago, 'you're not allowed to scream'.

When I felt the climax building up within me, I bit down on my hand.

Then I asked as I did before: "Let me look at you."

"Turn around," he said.

I did. He was smiling at me with this impish spark. "I love you," I repeated. "Do as you will."

He brought my face to his and kissed me on the lips.

Suddenly he broke the kiss and I saw a whole different kind of emotion in his eyes.

"Dobe."

"What?"

"Think."

"About?"

"That vision?"

Just as my brain was about to click, we heard a sound of tiny steps rushing towards us.

"Oh."

All Sasuke managed to do was grab a random piece of the discarded clothing and throw it over us, more or less.

Kyuu ran into the garden and shouted happily. "Look! Mommy showed me how to add all nine tails to the fo-" she suddenly halted in her steps and looked at us in clear confusion.

"What are you dooooing?" she asked, in her extended hand the origami of the nine tailed fox.

"Oh," I repeated.

"…shit," Sasuke finished my thought.

One day, one day we would say, 'a funny story!'.

But that day sure as hell wasn't today.

Well. Sasuke would have to make something up. His gaze travelled to the discarded ice cube on the side. I could almost hear gears in his brain clicking. Good. He was the one to think.

I was the one to blush. That was the privilege of the, quoth my bastard, 'oblivious moron'.

And I would have it no other way.

* * *

**A/N: **Okay, this whole chapter was supposed to look entirely different, be four times shorter and not even close to the ending result, but how boring would writing be if I could predict everything that was to come out from under my fingers! Hah. Well, anyway, that's it.

After five years, I've come back and finished this thing and you know what? It feels good. It felt good to come back, reminisce, remember. I missed it and it was so damn refreshing. "Naruto" will always hold a special place in my heart, but not because of the canon - which was really NOTHING, I repeat, NOTHING compared to the wonderful fandom this manga/anime has.

So, in this last goodbye note, I'd like to throw a general thank you towards the entire fandom, because it has truly changed me. It opened my eyes and helped me understand many things, it broadened my horizons, it made me the tolerant girl I am now. It's funny what can end up influencing a person in such a way, but for me it was this. So even if I won't lay my eyes on the "Naruto" canon story ever again in my life, it will always be there for me.

I've grown, I've learnt, I've met awesome people.

I hope that in few years' time, I'll be back here to reminisce again. Because this is something I don't want to ever forget.

And with that, all I can say is, farewell :)


End file.
